Ooooh. I thought I'd gotten past that. Can we go with childlike bliss?

You represent... naivete.
So innocent and trusting... you can be very shy at
times, but it's only because you're not sure
how to act. You give off that "I need to
be protected vibe." Remember that not all
people are good. Being too trusting will get
you easily hurt.


What feeling do you represent?
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Dwana came out happiness, which--considering all the stuff going on in her life at the moment--is an achievement in and of itself.

The other day she found a computer file tucked away with a copy of a beautiful poem she wrote in memory of her brother, who died of cancer a few years ago. The poem's etched in stone at the family's church, but she didn't have a copy herself. I don't think it's coincidence that she found it just then; I think she needed to, especially with his birthday coming round. I think maybe it also helped remind her of a place she was in her life that was probably the worst, and that puts marital and health and all other sorts of problems in perspective. I think Travis in his own way is helping his sister get through the difficulties she's facing now, by reminding her of the joy that comes along with pain in life.

Speaking of joy, one of my coworkers gave me a ride into town tonight and I caught up on how she's doing. She's often my partner in crime--she's the other vegetarian at work and we're slowly training them to add alternatives to the meat-and-potatoes menu. She's one of two coworkers battling breast cancer at the moment. Today she was on her way to her last radiation appointment. She planned to celebrate afterwards. She's gone every day except for holidays for radiation treatments for about seven weeks. I don't know how she's managed. Well, I guess there's not much else to do but manage, unless you plan to roll over and give up. Still, I admire how well she's kept her sense of humour, etc. I think that's just as important as any medicine. I hope everything continues to go well for both of them, including in the long-term. We've already had one lady retire early from congestive heart failure brought on by breast cancer treatment--apparently it's one of the possible longterm effects; if the cancer doesn't kill you the treatment can. Bah. As wonderful as modern medicine is, there are a lot of kinks out there. I certainly don't have blind faith in the system. But on the other hand, I think you have to have some faith. A hundred years ago I would probably never have been born. Most of the people I know who have chronic conditions would either be dead or invalid. Those who have cancer would have very little chance at survival, and almost no time between diagnosis and death. So whenever I get frustrated with what people have to go through, I try to remember that.