It's funny how we go through life afraid of all things possible. When we're little kids, we're afraid to make that next transitonal step into childhood; going to school for the first time is one of the scariest things we go through as children. For so long, most of us have had "the silver spoon" threatment. We were our parents pride and joy; the sky was our limit. Once we were transitioned into school, a whole new set of fears arose within us all. For so long, the ground beneath us was as solid as the relationships and the friendships we had formed throughout our childhood years. As the years passed by, that once "solid ground beneath us" wipped us off our feet. Those bonds that had taken years to form with family and friends were beginning to shatter right before our eyes; friends came and gone, without a word of remorse, and the oh so unfamiliar word of death became ever too popular in our vocabulary. Loosing people, it started to become something that you just had to accept. Mommy and Daddy couldn't come and help us with this one, all of these inevitables in our life, they are, well... inevitable. Try to control the things in which you have control over, not the things that you don't. Why is it that somwhere along the way, we never really give up on fear? Fear is always around us, it always consumes our thoughts and emotions as we grow. It gives you something to think about, now doesn't it. I think it's because the things that we were told to fear growing up, ultimately end up happening, so, naturally... why wouldn't we be afraid of the unknown in life when the fear of school became a reality, the fear of loosing friends became a reality, and the fear of death became a reality. It's only natural than to be afraid of what we believe might happen to us.

Have you ever seen the commercial on television where an entire family is stricken by cancer? As soon as each individual member in the family hears about the diagnosis, they go flying backwards into thin air? For some odd reason, that commercial apposed to many, hit an emotion deep within that I've never felt before. I have seen my fair share of commercials in regards to cancer, but this one, it just seemed to real, so raw. You know, maybe it's because of what I am going through, and the uncertainty i feel towards my own health. It's just that commercial really struck a cord with me. In June of 2006, my grandmother (my best friend), was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer. Not only did I lose my nana, I lost my Grandma Doris (moms mom), 26 years ago due to Ovarian cancer. Coincidentially, well.. I'm not sure that this is a coincidience, however, 26 years later, and STILL there is not enough awareness brought to the disease. I guess that's why that commercial affected me so much, it wasn't just a story, it was real to me, in every sense of the word.

Let us all overcome the fear that lives within us all, it does nothing for us but drown out the 100% potential of being wonderful people. And remember, try to control the things in which you have control over, not the things in which you do not. Perservere, perservere, perservere!

Hope and Faith to All,
best wishes & happy holidays.

Stephlovespeter_xo