I recently had a malignant and invasive skin cancer diagnosed. It was as if the terminal blood cancer I was diagnosed with over five years ago needed another cancer alongside to keep each other company in the autumn of my life.
Two previous attempts were made to get rid of my skin cancer, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. I am presently on a hospital emergency waiting list as a higher ethics/medical board decides if a third attempt to remove the deep-seated cancer is medically viable/justifiable.
When initially discussing my condition with me, the skin-cancer consultant indicated that the condition is highly common in people who never used sun cream protection during their early years. Like many a working-class family being brought up in the 40s and 50s, we considered ourselves lucky if we had enough household income to put bread on the table and clothing essentials on our back, whether new or second hand! As for luxuries such as sun-cream, I don't think we ever considered that one needed protection from the sun. So, my irony is that the sun that gave me so much unprotected pleasure and zestful life in my youth could possibly be the death of me in my old age if the bad blood gushing around my system doesn't beat it to the finishing line.
We all like the idea of being someone who matters in the life of others; someone upon whom the sun shines down, lighting up our bright outlook on life and distributing those favourable features of personality to all around that one's company find so inviting, stimulating, exciting and pleasurable to be with. None of us would like to be seen by others as being a dull person; someone with the tendency to dampen positive spirits and lessening warm hearts or darkening already pessimistic attitudes by punching holes in the bucket of hope that others sometimes struggle to carry.
So, let us cast a shadow on those past burdens we leave behind as we journey the road ahead, allowing the love we express to let the sun into everyone's life we touch on our travels. Let all rainy skies become beacons of future change for the better, precursors of the sun and rainbows that follow, and which lead us to happier, more peaceful and settled places.
Love and peace. Bill xxx