Thursday, July 18, 2024

I Will Reclaim Where I Can and Adapt Where I Cannot

not-quite Journaling, 72

There is a party in my mouth (grapefruit + hope) tastes like victory.

7/2/2024: My cancer treatment is over. I’ve taken my last estrogen blocker. I’m giddy and nervous and grateful and cautiously happy. I celebrated with a grapefruit (all right, with three grapefruits). After six years, tasting (no, devouring!) the citrusy delight was nearly orgasmic. Now, my flesh and bones and spirit and I will work on reclaiming other pleasures cancer treatment has kept from us. I will reclaim where I can and adapt where I cannot.

 

sunflower
on a cloudy day,
what a gift!



7/16/2024: My Piano Man gifted me 13 small journals (yep, he totally enables my 13-is-the-awesomest-number-in-the-multiniverse obsession). I couldn’t decide which to use first (they’re so pretty!). Then the phrase on one of the covers, “We can begin by doing small things… made my choice for me. Other quotes, carrying similar messages, are scattered on the pages--reminders that tiny ideas are seeds for gigantic doings. I’m trying to find my way again, after so many years of being mostly ill all the time, so I can use all the reminders I can get.  Also, I LOVE starting a new journal! 😁

 

7/18/2024: Because every now and again, people promising help convince themselves that said help looks a lot like the box (cage?) they’ve built of their own beliefs. I hate cages--no matter how pretty (or seemingly well-intended) they might look.  


for Poets and Storytellers United (Friday Writings #136: “begin by doing small things”)

13 comments:

  1. We don't know when to appreciate those small things until they are taken away from us. Keep us on your progress, we have aplauds for you.
    p.s. Thank you for the neat prompt. I have phyisical pictures of the three but I can't figure out yet how to get them from my camera to my blog.
    ..

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  2. That's great news, more power to you as you reclaim all those pleasures. And I love this: sunflower / on a cloudy day, / what a gift! This is my current favourite of all your micropoems.

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  3. Your grapefruit is RED? (Oh well, orange.) Here they are whitish-yellow or occasionally pale pink. Yours looks luscious.
    Oh yes, since getting COVID, I've had a few people regale me helpfully with their boxes of beliefs. I have responded with polite thanks so far, whilst refraining from making any promises. For me, this is a brief thing, whereas you must be getting VERY much over it by now.
    Three cheers for your Piano Man! (And of course 13 is the awesomest number. I've known that all my life.)

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  4. So glad to hear your cancer treatment has now finished and you can reclaim missed pleasures! You go, girl!

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  5. I am really glad you have the joy of eating grapefruits and writing in lovely new journals - long may you remain healthy and well - Jae

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  6. Turning adversity into art, that is the way of the soul. You do it so well.

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  7. Oh Happy Days....well done ...the very best to you and piano man....enjoy everything....Rall

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  8. So sorry you are fighting that sneaky demon, and congratulations on your successful battle, my friend — I understand the courage, will, and fortitude required. I have been acting as support for my wife Kathleen for the past 18 months, through the surgeries and treatments, as she has battled throat cancer. Just this past week she had her 6 month check up — cancer free! We both cried.
    “I will reclaim where I can and adapt where I cannot.” Brilliant and powerful commitment Magaly! Bless you, and keep that strength. 🙂✌🏼

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  9. Praying that as the sunflower opens and blossoms so will you. Many blessings

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  10. Here is wishing you Happy days ahead, nice write, keep doing so, encouraging all to overcome their tough journeys

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  11. Dear Magaly, I honestly don't know where to put all the emotion I am feeling right now. YOU ending treatment, YOU sucking down the yummy citrus, YOU reclaiming you. I could not be happier, relieved for you. I know how much your Piano Man's support meant. He is an awesome dude. I have taken the summer off from blogging, but .. so glad I came to read the last challenge and its poems.

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  12. I am so happy for you! A grapefruit can be a jewel. May you fill your journals with many small thoughts.

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  13. I will ever be inspired by you. 💙

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