Spirituality Is Many Things to Many People

Spirituality
You are absolutely right, spirituality is many different things. Before I met my onc,when I heard her name, I knew everything would be ok. Her name Is Dr Ocean,and I found that perfect.I love the ocean and all I could think of when I heard her name,was laying on the beach with the warm sun beating down on me and listening to the calming waves. That gave me such a calming feeling. Whenever things get tough for me, I close my eyes and just picture the waves and the sound of the ocean along with the warm sun.That always lifts up my spirits and makes me feel better.

shoppergal said:

Spirituality
You are absolutely right, spirituality is many different things. Before I met my onc,when I heard her name, I knew everything would be ok. Her name Is Dr Ocean,and I found that perfect.I love the ocean and all I could think of when I heard her name,was laying on the beach with the warm sun beating down on me and listening to the calming waves. That gave me such a calming feeling. Whenever things get tough for me, I close my eyes and just picture the waves and the sound of the ocean along with the warm sun.That always lifts up my spirits and makes me feel better.

Wait...
You went to sea Dr Ocean? (pun intended and I hope received). I get my spirituality from nature. I love the outdoors and I love to kayak. I usually early morning due to not being able to take too much direct sun and it gets too hot sometimes in the summer too. I've gone out late at night too just to star gaze. Nature is just so beautiful and remarkable.

I know what you mean about the sounds of the ocean too, we vacation at the NJ shore every summer. I love it!

Re, what you said "Spirituality can be many things, some may find it at a church or a synagogue while others may find it in the comfort of a mountain stream or the spray of the ocean." it's so true. There are many paths to the same thing.

Michelle, Right On back to you. I hope you are doing OK. Both ends of the battle are really rough.

I wish others would stop by and post/share their thoughts here. I think this is being received by some as a get off the other board and only post here where I do not see it like that at all. But, we are all different just like everyone else.
Peace to you all
-phil

I don't attend church but I
I don't attend church but I am spiritual and I have had prayers answered.

What got me through chemo was picturing the clear blue Texas skies. It was soothing.

hollyberry said:

Feelin' Groovy
It is so nice to see everyone sharing their spiritual journeys and experiences without being defensive. I already feel more peace in the universe!
Have a great holiday weekend and enjoy those soothing rituals; it can only help to feel peace and tranquility at the center of your being.

Peace,
Hollyberry

Good things
Ya gotta love the woods and outdoors. A smile from a friend that totally changes your day. Many years ago my wife was a restaurant manager. There was a waitress named Anna that was quite young and full of life. A very crazy cheerleader that was always on the run. When I walked into my first chemo session, there was Anna running the unit. My first thought was that my life was about to end because this crazy person was in charge of things. I quickly learned that I had found a very caring person that would take care of all my needs during my 9 1/2 hour chemo sessions. She stayed hours beyond her shift on nights when I was the only patient left. She ran for warm blankets, juice and food and joked with me to break up the long hours. That very painful part of my life would of been so much worse without Anna helping me through it. Its funny how these little crutches seem to pop up and support us as we struggle through life. Call them miracles or whatever you want. But they have happened over and over in my life and I thank God for that. Have a great weekend everyone. Slickwilly

slickwilly said:

Good things
Ya gotta love the woods and outdoors. A smile from a friend that totally changes your day. Many years ago my wife was a restaurant manager. There was a waitress named Anna that was quite young and full of life. A very crazy cheerleader that was always on the run. When I walked into my first chemo session, there was Anna running the unit. My first thought was that my life was about to end because this crazy person was in charge of things. I quickly learned that I had found a very caring person that would take care of all my needs during my 9 1/2 hour chemo sessions. She stayed hours beyond her shift on nights when I was the only patient left. She ran for warm blankets, juice and food and joked with me to break up the long hours. That very painful part of my life would of been so much worse without Anna helping me through it. Its funny how these little crutches seem to pop up and support us as we struggle through life. Call them miracles or whatever you want. But they have happened over and over in my life and I thank God for that. Have a great weekend everyone. Slickwilly

slickwilly......those special crutch people
there were 4 chaplins in the cancer treatment center i was at. 3 of the guys were fun and helpful and did great jobs. there was a female chaplin named lisa. she had this calming effect on me just by being near. she had a huge inpact on my time there. one of the waitresses in the cafeteria always had a hug for me and the wife and often gave my wife small gifts. two nurses who were there in the most painful experence of my life calmly talking me through it with compassion and tenderness. linda and jt are heros to me. there were so many others who knew the strentgh of a hug and touch to make the day go easier. when i would tell them how much they meant to me they were all humble and gracious. like true heros. have a great day slickwilly.

slickwilly said:

Spiritual peace
It seems many of us have grown up in a mixture of different religions and cultures. My family is a mixture of First Congregational, Catholic and Dutch Reform. We come from the low lands in Scotland, Germany the Netherlands and Chippewa Indian tribe. We all seem to get along fine by respecting each other and I am quite thankful for the diverse family that I have. Its funny how a couple of very basic things in life seem to be the most calming. Fire and water. I am lucky enough to live by Lake Superior. When my three daughters were young we would pick up some hot chocolate and donuts and take a blanket to an isolated beach. We would watch the sun come up on a beach where the Iroquois and Chippewa indians once had a battle. Watching the sun come up to start a new day is awesome. And I can't think of anything more calming then sitting in front of a campfire. Something I did many times when I was dealing with cancer. I love putting on a backpack and hiking in the woods. I will start a fire using a flint as I like the challenge and have a cup of coffee. And I always spend time talking to God about all the friends and family I have lost. Its my time to remember and reflect and thank God for all he has given me. I had cancer and spend a lot of time in pain but I have been blessed by so many wonderful things in my life. Possessions and money are so far down the list of important things in my life that they would not make the first page. Bless you all and have a great weekend. Slickwilly

I find great peace in my garden.
In my garden I feel closest to God. I am an organic gardener, and feel that I am gardening as God himself does, feeding the soil with fallen leaves and the poop from my rabbit, encouraging the assistance of birds and skunks and beneficial insects to keep plant-destroying insects under control, gathering the seeds from my own plants for next year's crop, etc. Each season has its function in the garden. Here I walk through the rich scents of my thousands of flowers, picking raspberries and nibbling on snow peas as I study each plant to see if my intervention is needed, marvelling at how beautifully my perennials survived when I was weak from chemo and God was 'on his own' with my borders and beds. Then passing of each season somehow makes mortality more bearable, and the inevitability of life one day ending seems perfectly right in a garden that promises spring's renewal even after winter's death.

How optimistic it is to plant a tree! And as I design a new garden bed and tuck in the tiny plants, I wonder if I will be here in 3 years to see the design 'grown in'? And I am at peace either way, for the garden will be here when I am gone. And the red maple tree I started from seed this summer will shade others, even if I am not here in 30 years to sit below it. And I'm happy about that.

I love asparagus! 3 years isn't that long; can I come??
I love your asparagus story and can truly relate. One of my garden beds is a 'nursery bed' where I start rooted cuttings and biennials, things that are a year or more away from being large enough to add to a more permanent garden design elsewhere. I worry a little bit about each woody plant that I poke in here, hoping I'll be alive to move each of the baby trees and shrubs before they grow too big to be easily moved, knowing how horrible they'll look if allowed to grow in place. If I have a recurrance, the first thing I'll do after I stop crying is get out there and move or yank out everything that could be a problem. And yet just yesterday I transplanted a tiny baby holly that had self-seeded near my house's foundation, moving it into my 'nursery bed', thinking that in 3 or 4 years this would be a nice size to add as an under-story plant at the edge of my woods. That's the optimism of gardening:...that I'll be here in 4 years to move it into place, and be here in the years that follow to admire its evergreen beauty against the snow from my kitchen window. And even if I am not here, I can already picture it in my mind, and that's good, too.

donnare said:

So true
Spirituality - many different things at different times too.

I find God in nature, as well as church. I find God in art and music and all things beautiful. I find God in the generousity and kindness of others. And I felt God's presence when my newborn babies were placed in my arms and knew that I had just been part of a miracle!

Cool thread!
Wishing you peace in your hearts,
Donna

May God Bless you with health, peace,comfort and MIRACLES!
I lost my Dad in 1994, Colon Cancer my Mom in 1997, Brain Cancer, and my sister,just less than 2 years older than me) from Esophogial Cancer at the age of 47, I was diagnosed with Metastic Breast Cancer at the age of 46 just 3 or 4 months after losing my sister March 23, 2006.
I was the "Baby" of the family, then my Husband decided to sneak out of the house after tellig me he was going to the kitchen to get iced tea....after about 45 minutes, I went into the kitchen to see if he was okay,,and he was gone, taking the ONLY car we had. My youngest daughter called me the next day, asking me why I "Threw him out".
She knew it was a lie but she had never see him act that way but she also didn't know about his passion for pornography,among other things. In the long run she talked me in to taking him back in, but with a few rules, like no porn, of any kind anytine, no more lies, no more stealing, I could go on and on but whats the point, he never kept his promises, this time was no different...
He actually started telling the truth nasty hurtful things usually,, but my faith in God has grown SO MUCH and the stuff he doe's isnt near as bad or as frequent, I just had to get to a place in my life that I came to see that the issues that caused so mch pain were HIS issues, not mine and although it was an agonizing situation, God has brought me through SO MUCH and is ALWAYS there for me, he restored my confidence, given me a Sense of peace and has somewhat restored my marraige, and I am in remission(almost 2 years now. God
Bless You Donnare, You as well as many others on ASC will be in my prayers, Love,Peace and healing to everyone. Sincerest Thanks for you time and your strength!
Katheryn46

Katheryn46 said:

May God Bless you with health, peace,comfort and MIRACLES!
I lost my Dad in 1994, Colon Cancer my Mom in 1997, Brain Cancer, and my sister,just less than 2 years older than me) from Esophogial Cancer at the age of 47, I was diagnosed with Metastic Breast Cancer at the age of 46 just 3 or 4 months after losing my sister March 23, 2006.
I was the "Baby" of the family, then my Husband decided to sneak out of the house after tellig me he was going to the kitchen to get iced tea....after about 45 minutes, I went into the kitchen to see if he was okay,,and he was gone, taking the ONLY car we had. My youngest daughter called me the next day, asking me why I "Threw him out".
She knew it was a lie but she had never see him act that way but she also didn't know about his passion for pornography,among other things. In the long run she talked me in to taking him back in, but with a few rules, like no porn, of any kind anytine, no more lies, no more stealing, I could go on and on but whats the point, he never kept his promises, this time was no different...
He actually started telling the truth nasty hurtful things usually,, but my faith in God has grown SO MUCH and the stuff he doe's isnt near as bad or as frequent, I just had to get to a place in my life that I came to see that the issues that caused so mch pain were HIS issues, not mine and although it was an agonizing situation, God has brought me through SO MUCH and is ALWAYS there for me, he restored my confidence, given me a Sense of peace and has somewhat restored my marraige, and I am in remission(almost 2 years now. God
Bless You Donnare, You as well as many others on ASC will be in my prayers, Love,Peace and healing to everyone. Sincerest Thanks for you time and your strength!
Katheryn46

Life and cancer
Kathery 46 What a wonderful person you sound.I am not religious but I know the benifits a belief in God can bring.Richard Dawkins believes you can replace God with Charles Darwins theories,me thinks he is but a fool.Opposites attract ,your husband is following the Devil.You are safe in Gods keeping Some people are cursed others like you are blessed.Best wishes.octoman