An intact skin is the body’s first line of defense in case of infection.
In like manner, the family comes to one’s rescue when one is in trouble. We all belong to a family except for some who lost their families due to accidents, calamities or other causes.
In difficult times, especially when life-threatening situations occur like the onset of illness such as cancer, members of the family are the “go to” or are the “first responders.”
The afflicted person derives strength, inspiration and the will to live from the care, love and attention that they get from their families.
Regardless of the distance that separates them, family members manage to be with their afflicted loved one to minister to their needs and be with them during those difficult moments.
Exceptions to this are those who may not be in good terms with each other or are at odds because of family affairs like disputes related to personal matters or others.
Friends are also a valuable resource in one’s personal repertoire, when cancer strikes. True friends will come without your asking, to offer care, support and prayer. They come even after one is diagnosed with cancer — they are not afraid of the diagnosis. They come even if they do not know what to do or say — they just want to be with you.
A verse in the Bible, which states: “Friends love through all kinds of weather” (Proverbs 17:17), aptly describes true friendship. Real friends are those who: carry burdens, bring joy, bring hope, respect a person’s right to enjoy life, offer empathy and sympathy; get in the ditch, have a good cry, are often emotional sponges; relieve stress; and reduce depression through quality time management.
My sister Dedita had friends who are there for her and have been supporting her in her cancer journey. These friends are those whom she grew up with, or worked with, in various stages of her nursing career, those whom she had helped when they had cancer in the past and even her classmates in high school and college. My sister is indeed reaping what she had sown. One’s life could be enriched greatly by having true friends when you need them most, unlike an old woman who when she died, a diary was found among the things in her room. She kept a diary where she made this entry everyday, “No one came.” until the day she died. Another verse in the Bible, says this of having/not having a friend: “If one falls down, his friend can pull him up. But pity a man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:10.
Next: The Support Group – “I am truly blessed.”
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Author’s email: [email protected]
