Even in their darkest moments, they modeled compassion, care, respect, unity and most importantly - unconditional love.
My mother & my step mother (I call her ‘my Tina,’ it was always my mom & my Tina) were both diagnosed with breast cancer over 20 years ago. It didn’t matter that my Tina was the new wife (well - not so new - My Tina and dad were married for over 20 years), my mother still wanted to be there for her. And it didn’t matter that my mother was the ex-wife, my Tina wanted to be there for my mother.
Two strong women who taught me so much about life, goals, work ethic, community & compassion. When I look back & replay those years of cancer, chemo, radiation & so many visits to the hospital, one thing that stands above all: their silent commitment to care for each other no matter their strange circumstance.
In the very last weeks of my Tina’s courageous life, my mother was one of her hospice nurses. She advised us on how to care for Tina, how to make her comfortable, and she let us know when things were close to the inevitable.
My mom also cared for my three younger sisters (my father & my Tina’s daughters). In fact, they were with my mother at the moments of my Tina’s passing. Mom was at the mall with them, having offered to take them out for a moment of reprieve. Three years of battling cancer was so hard.
And it was my mom who told my sisters the life shattering news that their mom - at the age of 42 - had just passed away.
My two female roles models were diagnosed at around the same time. Their journey together shaped who I am today.
They showed me the importance of lifting up those around you, holding the hand of someone in pain, caring for others regardless of the circumstances, and unity. They modeled unconditional love, and they shaped my moral compass.
Every year I walk for Breast Cancer Awareness in memory of my Tina and in honor of my mother.
#mindfulness #thesweatlife #walktobustcancer #angelwingschallenge
They Taught Me Unconditional Love
