Photograph by Firefly Steve Caputo, Light of Day Gallery
The Moment – So there it is. That moment. There is not much that you can physically do in that moment when you learn your diagnosis. A moment when your world is turned upside down. You really don’t know how you will react until that moment of truth arrives.
Quick story…A friend of mine is having dinner at Chinese restaurant with his 90-year-old grandma, she opened her fortune cookie and read it. “Hope for the best, expect the worst.” I’m not sure that nonagenarian left the restaurant with any plans to return.
Some googling led me to this, more relatable variation of that idea, from Maya Angelou: “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst and unsurprised by anything in between.” And I suppose that was my frame of mind, heading into the procedure that would identify the cause of my discomfort. It turns out that the human spirit is a complex intangible component of our makeup, one of enormous power and influence over those of our more physical parts. I found this out when, in that moment, through the anesthesia-induced post-op haze, as the Doc informed me of my malignancy I told him, “Let’s get on it.”
I’m taking a photo a day to help the American Cancer Society fight for a world without cancer. Like so many, I have known family and friends who’ve battled the disease, including some who continue to fight. This year, I find myself personally impacted, and it occurs to me that this platform offers a way to channel my passion for photography to help relay a personal journey that may resonate with others. Please consider making a donation because every little bit helps. Thank you for your support!
