"Everyone knows somebody that needs to read this book (Perseverance) !" –Kathie Lee Gifford, Live on NBC’s Today Show
"Perseverance offers… profound insight for all of us seeking to lead a meaningful life." –Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of A Whole New Mind
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Why our Darkest Moments Unveil the Beauty of Life
Writing Perseverance has truly been a labor of love. In fact, telling the stories of these twenty incredible people has been the hardest, most rewarding thing I have ever done.
I’ve certainly learned a great many invaluable lessons these past few years, but most of all, I understand that there is a glorious agony associated with living. I cannot tell you how many times I had to walk away from my computer to hold my dog, Lila, and just cry. I wept at the sadness in the stories I was writing and I sobbed about my own insecurities, which I believed wouldn’t allow me to do justice to the courageous people who trusted me to tell their stories.
These are amazing people, who changed from innocent children to death defying warriors in the blink of an eye. They fought relentlessly, never knowing if—even in remission—they would ever really win. They have graciously allowed me access into every aspect of their lives, including talking with parents, boyfriends, doctors, and friends; absolutely nothing was off limits to me at any point in the process. Cancer indeed changed these people forever, but they changed me forever as well, and just as indelibly. I’m sure that after you meet them within Perseverance, you will also be changed forever.
This entire experience has been extremely difficult; truly torturous for me. I feel a bit ashamed to admit that at any time during this arduous process, I always had the luxury of stopping whenever I wanted and going on with my life. In stark contrast, none of these individuals had that same option. They couldn’t simply wake up one morning and say, “Nope, not going to fight cancer anymore,” and just resume their “normal” lives.
But leaving this book unfinished was never a real option for me either. These are stories that must be told since they validate what these people experienced and help teach invaluable life lessons from which everyone can learn…something. Whether it is a lethal disease, a lethal relationship, or caring for a sick or dying friend or relative, we all take our personal journeys into uncharted territory, and we usually take them alone. Still, I have learned that this doesn’t necessarily mean that we are truly alone. No matter how dark the moment, how afraid or lonely we become along the way, we are always walking in the footsteps of brave souls who have trod that same path sometime before. The purpose of this book is to shine a light on the path each of us must take.
Life is hard. Period. But it is glorious nonetheless, and it is certainly worth everything it takes to live it.
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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 30th, 2009 at 9:18 pm and is filed under Perseverance, Personal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
6 Responses to “Why our Darkest Moments Unveil the Beauty of Life”
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Twitter: benspoont
says:
I get emotional just reading this! It is clear that you have led your life leading with your heart.
“No matter how dark the moment, how afraid or lonely we become along the way, we are always walking in the footsteps of brave souls who have trod that same path sometime before”
WOW — one of the most powerful statements I’ve ever read.
Hi Carolyn,
As a new fan of yours (found this via your great facebook group) I love how open and honest you are with us.
It is inspiring to hear your story and words. They always seem to speak directly to me.
Best,
Julia
Twitter: carolynr
says:
So kind of you to comment, Julia. I am so happy you enjoy the posts. Thank you so much for your kind words. And always feel free to comment or email if there is a specific topic you are interested in reading about!
Wishing you all the best,
Carolyn
I am truly inspired by your journey, which is similar to mine. I am writing a book too about amazing cancer survivors. It has been an extremely personal journey for me: I am a Stage IV survivor and wanted to find others like me who beat the odds. We have been keeping a family blog that shares our experience. Thanks for showing me that it can be done (the book and surviving!) I look forward to readng your book and following your blog.
Twitter: carolynr
says:
I’m so happy you found my website and left a comment. I look forward to learning about your book and reading your family blog!
Thank you for sharing your personal story — excited to connect.
Best wishes,
Carolyn
Twitter: WhenIGroUpCoach
says:
Many people without cancer do live their normal lives, but – while you are able to stop & start writing as you pleased – you have allowed this experience to shape who you are & change things for the better. I hope you realize, Carolyn, what a wonderful service you’re doing for the world in telling these stories, & how brave you are allowing them to affect you. Many people wouldn’t make that choice.