YACC's Retreat Yourself 2013 registration is now open!

If you were diagnosed with any form of cancer between the ages of 18-39 (or there abouts) and are not too far off in that age, still, apply!  There's one in Nova Scotia, Alberta, and British Columbia this year, just click on the province for link's to YACC's site and application information.

Light the World

If I asked of everyone to light a candle for all those taken from me because of cancer all their homes would shine quite brightly.  The flicker would help remind us all that life is a delicate balance of feeding desires, fulling needs, and too much of either can cause it to snuff out.  The speed at which it descended the wick would depend on the quality of the life, the care put into creating it, but anything could arise and break the finest made candle.  That wouldn't make the warmth that it caused any less real, and it would not make the joy it brought any less meaningful.

But, instead of lighting a wick in your home, instead of digging out the matches, I ask of you to please ignite a flame within your heart.  Please try to bring warmth with your words and your thoughts.  Make the kindness flow through your veins and radiate from your actions.  Bring joy to your surroundings with every beat of your heart.  Honour those that could not make their heart beat any longer, but their light shone the brightest despite their conditions.  Bring love to your behaviours and make the world shine every day.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a couple blessings come their way this Christmas season.  I wish for all of you the joy of the season and that the happiness you feel lasts year round.  May your health improve, may your mind expand, may your heart be filled, and may your passions fulfilled.

The world needs kindness and love, I hope that you will be a beacon of this in the New Year.

Lots of love:
Julie aka Silverlupus

Take a moment to remember

"In war, there are no unwounded soldiers." -Jose Narosky
Lest we forget

YACC Survivor Conference 2012

Hullo one and all.  I have been slightly absent as I dealt with life these past few months.  I wanted to thank all those that helped me raise the funds to come to Conference.  Getting to talk and share with these few people that understand exactly my predicament because they have been through a lot of the same issues is simply intoxicating.  You go from feeling as though you are the rare mythical creature on display for the world to see, to feeling like you found your herd, your flock, your school, your pack, your pride.

I am reflecting and thinking of all the great connects that were worked on here.  The new connections with those I have never met before, the nurturing of the connections previously started, and the reminiscing of those connections lost over the year.

I cannot find the words to describe what being at YACC's Conferences is like.  This is something that a few of us discussed.  All I can do is share some feelings that come with the time we get to spend together: acceptance, love, admiration, loyalty, connectivity, joy, sorrow, exuberance, peace.

The Face of Breast Cancer

The face of breast cancer is not pink ribbons and newly pink items. It's women of all ages losing their hair, their breasts, their ovaries, their independence, their self image, and sometimes their lives. Support those programs to help patients, survivors, and supporters

age: 29

 

All In Who You Know

The old adage is as true as there is water in the seas: it is all in who you know.  Some may think I am referring to financial or business success, but I am not.  What about your mental and physical well-being?  When it comes down to it, if you are surrounded by people that love, respect, admire your inner traits, and truly care for you, you will have a better outlook of yourself.  If your friends are always there when you need them, always willing to listen to you and offer sincere advise to help better you with no ulterior motives, then would you not find your soul nurtured?

When it comes down to it, you have so many that are out there with only their interests in mind.  These are the people that are gone the second you need help, but on your doorstep the moment they are in crisis.  They belittle you, call you down, criticize, neglect, and sometimes physically hurt you.  You cannot expect to have a healthy attitude or even maintain your physical health if you are surrounded by this sort of companion.

A great example of rising above your surroundings was shown to me last week when I met Eric Crookshank, former captain of the Halifax Rainmen at BCANS.  His talk was entitled “Perseverance  Through  Adversity”.  My mind started calculate all the hardships he had endured and still succeeded in becoming a great person.  Yes, he is a great business man, but I mean he is a genuinely wonderful soul.  As he told his story he would reference his best friends and his mother, they had become great strengths to him.  They were a focused beam of light that showed him that he had the potential to be better, through his facets, they showed him the rainbow of opportunities and support.  It was not his friends that created his success, but they were his boosters, his patrons.  They would help lift each other up, not try to hold each other down.

I find myself looking at my equations and finding that I have not had the right mix of support.  I have stumbled many times with giving my friendship and love to those that were out to pull me down.  I am thankful to see that some that I thought would not want me have smiled and openly accepted me.  Some have started to express nothing but admiration for my qualities.  These are the people we all need.  These are the ones we need to know.