A very brave man with a brain tumor, who was a good friend and a lovely human being was diagnosed with cancer about a year before he died in 2005. This man was philanthropic, charismatic, kind and funny as hell even when he didn’t mean to be.
I think about him often, and was reminded of his courage again recently when a conversation someone was recalling, re-told the story of his response to learning of his malignant, inoperable brain tumor. While many of us tend to feel victimized when things don’t go our way, his response to cancer, was “Well, why NOT me?“
This message is simple. Next time your expectations end in disappointment, or worse, a terminal illness diagnosis, resist the undertow of “victim” energy and instead of asking why it’s happening “to you” sit still so you can find your center, and before you decide what to do next, ask “Well, why NOT me?”
Then act swiftly and confidently, as if you can change the world.