A few days ago, my husband and I were strolling along the quiet streets of Stirling Ontario. In one of the shops, I found a commemorative plate and bought it, despite my husband 's initial response that doing so would be ridiculous.
When we returned to the cottage where my husband's extended family was enjoying a reunion, I showed off my new acquisition. Everyone laughed and/or rolled their eyes. I didn't care.
The plate is beautiful. My husband agrees: The hand-painted trim -- flowers and birds -- matches that of a hand-painted picture of Psalm 118 v 24 that has been hanging in our bedroom (and helping me feel hopeful and happy) since my first recurrence in 1992. Of course, I bought the plate as much for the message as the art.
With this plate, I'm making a stake in tomorrow. As my husband and I continue our year-long celebration leading up to our 30th anniversary, I have hope of seeing the day when I can hang up this plate to commemorate the milestone spelled out in gold letters: 50th Anniversary.
Some Healthy Survivors feel hopeful by buying green bananas. I bought a plate.
I adopted a pair of cats. Didn't realize I was making a statement at the time but looking back that's what it was.
Posted by: Aftercancer | July 22, 2009 at 06:58 PM
Good for you! I hope you eat cake off of the plate at your golden anniversary celebration! :)
Posted by: Lisa | July 22, 2009 at 08:53 PM
Dear "Aftercancer"
Yours is a particularly powerful statement of hope because cats are living beings who need you (unlike a plate that wouldn't know if I were around or not).
Dear Lisa: Thanks! Me, too.
With hope, Wendy
Posted by: Wendy S. Harpham, MD | July 22, 2009 at 09:15 PM
My grandparents has a cabin in the mountains of Western PA that we went to on weekends when I was a kid. My grandfather was an incredible baker and made homemade challah most every weekend. My grandma sliced and toasted it for breakfast and she always served it on a plate that had etched into it Psalm 118 v 24.
They both died of cancer in their early 70s but lead really full lives by the words of that psalm. (And yes celebrated a 50th anniversary totally in love.)
Thanks for helping me relive such a fantastic memory. I'm an atheist, but your post has made me want to run out and get such a plate of my own.
Posted by: Kairol Rosenthal | July 23, 2009 at 03:52 AM
I really loved this story Wendy. My wedding day a year and half ago was my own symbol of hope and stake in the future. My husband had stood by me during the darkest days of treatment and standing together side by side at the altar on the morning of our wedding I felt the tears well up as I realised how far we had come and how much we had been through to reach this day.
Happy anniversary to you both and may you live a long and happy life together for many years to come.
Posted by: JBBC | July 25, 2009 at 07:17 AM
Wendy, your plate story reminds me of why our family goes to the cottage, and what every family can gain from sharing time together with multiple generations. We celebrate the joy of sharing the legacy from the past, while dreaming of the future for the next generation as they begin their journey. Martha
Posted by: Martha Harpham | July 26, 2009 at 09:11 AM
Dear Martha,
As you say so eloquently, we are part of an ongoing cycle that began long ago and will continue long after we die.
Celebrating past, present and future -- nurturing the sense of being part of history -- can help Healthy Survivors enjoy life as much as possible as we age and then deal with end-of-life.
With hope, Wendy
Posted by: Wendy S. Harpham, MD | July 26, 2009 at 02:04 PM