I see by the flood of emails from organizations I support, it’s World Cancer Day.

The V Foundation says- It’s a day of encouraging those faced with cancer, honoring those who have been taken from us, and celebrating those who are now thriving after their cancer journeys.

Those are some good points for the day. And I’ll make a donation later today.

I kind of fall in that last category but I’m not celebrating. Nor does it feel right to celebrate being lucky while so many are engaged in difficult fights. I’d rather share compassion than celebrating my good fortune.

Oh, I’m trying to live each day well and don’t think that these events haven’t given me a special appreciation for life.

After a few years following the first successful surgery and good tests I was in a celebratory mindset. But a second cancer and a second surgery came along a few years later. And I wanted to celebrate but radiation was needed. It’s been some years since then but being tested often doesn’t lend my mind to celebrate.

I’ll celebrate when I’m a very old man, with grown grandchildren and having lived a long, somewhat healthy life.

Cancer still scares me. I don’t even like hearing the word. I’ve been one of the very lucky ones. I’m still here typing. I’d rather not tempt fate again.

There was a cancer support group at my job. It was a private Slack chatroom that was used to support one another. I miss that in both supporting others as well as getting support. I don’t talk to people about it much now.

NOTE: I’m repulsed at the thought of RFK Jr as Secretary of Health and Human Services.