Receiving "The News"

Everyone gets news from time to time some news is wonderful and exciting while other news lets just say we dread it even though it is expected, while other news is completely unexpected and good or bad catches us by surprise. Recently I got some news from a friend, who I had known was having medical tests done, but really didn't know the extent of the testing. She called me and told me that she had been diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to her lungs. I was aware she was in and out of the hospital for tests but in all honesty cancer was the last thing that even crossed my mind. I was shocked, and for a bit I found myself feeling everything from concern to anger to hopelessness and fear. Then after riding an emotional rollercoaster for a few days, I had slowly begun to consider something I didn't think of initially. My knee jerk reaction had been one where I felt like my friend had received a death sentence, but as I thought things over I realized there is hope that she would survive, and that I could be a support to her even from a distance. I started by sending her funny videos though looking back I question the appropriateness of some of them. Among the videos I sent was one called "The colorectal surgeon song" by a couple Canadian comedians who pretty much did an amazing job of making light of the work of colorectal surgeons and I felt was funny, but in reality I wonder if it is a video I would have wanted someone to send me had I just been diagnosed with colon cancer. Its hard to say for sure how I would respond, I would hope I would find the humor in the video, but then it's a tough thing to say for sure.

Other news I've gotten, I felt like I would jump out of my skin because I was so excited about it, like the news of the birth of a niece or nephew, or finding out that I had past a test I had studied really hard to prepare for. Sometimes the news we wait for is whether or not someone we voted for either won or lost an election. We may wait on the edge of our seats as we the news we receive takes a long time to completely unfold as in the case of a natural or man made disaster, we hope people survived, and dread knowing that human lives may have been lost in such events. The whole time hoping that we don't know anyone who lost their life to the even, and hoping that if we do know someone effected by the tragedy that they are alive and well.

Regardless of what the news is about, there is one thing I have learned, that every piece of news will invoke some type of reaction in those who receive it. The reaction could be peace, contentment, joy, anger, happiness, despair, hope, defeat, hopelessness or victory. There are many responses people have some are better then others, but whatever the news there is guaranteed a response of some kind whether that response is expressed right away or bottled up doesn't matter the response is there. II find myself first having a response that isn't well thought out at times and to be honest tend o be more of an impulsive response then anything, but then as I think about the situation and talk to others, I begin to realize there are other ways to look at things. This was the case with the news I got about my friend. I realize now that while I can't physically be there for her because of distance, I can offer words of encouragement and try to cherish the time we are in contact with each other. I think everyone has some image in their mind of how they think they will respond to news of any kind, but in reality I don't believe it's possible to guarantee that idea will be our reality when we receive news whether it be good news or bad news our response is apt to result in any number of responses some more dignified then others, but none the less news will invoke a response what we do with that news is our choice though. We can either grow because of it, or be destroyed but I feel that ultimately the full effect of the news we receive includes a choice for each of us that can only be made by each person who receives the news. While I'm saddened for my friend, I am also choosing not to let the news of her having cancer destroy me, but rather I'm allowing that news to be the fuel that feeds my passions and using some of what I think or feel to maybe help others in some way. I don't have all the answers, and for me each day offers new challenges each with its own victories and defeats, but I figure if I can try to get back up one more time then I get knocked down by news, then I'm still ahead and have a fighting chance to make a difference in how I handle the news now and in the future.

I guess that in some ways I feel that as long as I have hope, then there is a chance that I can learn and grow because of news I receive, and who knows maybe someone else will learn from what I share, or maybe not.

I want to offer hope and encouragement to those who have received bad news, but also to share in the joy and excitement brought by good news. Also a reminder that the news doesn't decide our future, but rather the choices we make determine the path of our journey through life.