We four are new friends–just met for the first time at dinner earlier in the week. Of the four, three of us have had breast cancer and we range in age from 42 to 65. The youngest of us is still healing from the surgery. The cancer in common did not bring us together. A friend in another state connected two of us and after months of trying we finally had a dinner date, which included our respective partners. That’s where the cancer connection was made.
On a hike this morning we talked about getting older, our bodies changing in ways we don’t like, how long it takes to heal from a bicycle accident, getting past cancer, and the death of a friend a few months ago (from cancer). We also talked about what we’re doing differently in our lives–making more time for those we love, taking up bird watching, going back to school, finding a new or deeper purpose, becoming urban chicken farmers, and being perfectly content to walk instead of run a marathon.
I’m gratified at the connections we were able to make, not having known each other at all a week ago. Sometimes it’s scary for active people to get older (maybe for couch potatoes too), but most times life does seem easier these days.
