Sometimes Love Shows Up in Unexpected Places

By: Pam Terres

A love letter to a journey I never asked for - but one that changed me forever.

Today marks 15 years that I have been living… and fighting… cancer. There were times I never thought I would get here. But I did. And along the way, I started writing something I never imagined I would write

a love letter to cancer.

I know that sounds crazy. But there is love that came out of cancer. Of course there were moments of “why the hell did this happen to me?” But I can’t get caught up in all of that because that takes you down a sad, mad path. So I choose love.

Love looks like being more present with my family and friends. Love looks like going to my daughter’s and son’s hockey games.

It looks like meeting my amazing nurses and doctor, and my cancer counselor, Kelly, who I now call a friend.

It looks like meeting incredible cancer people - people so strong, and learning something from every single one of them.

Love is spending time with people. It’s people showing up for me and my family. It’s everyone loving me so hard.

It’s finding joy in the little things. Kids graduating from high school. College. Dream jobs. Both my kids getting married.

It’s my Mike showing up for me every single day, in so many ways.

It’s old friends who have been there since the very beginning.

Work friends still proud to be a Loring Leopard .

New friends.

People who check in.

People who sit with me.

People who bring me coffee.

People who share their lives with me.

It’s my dog Franny. I love that dog .

It’s walking my dog.

Holding a baby.

Going to the lake.

Spending more time in Bemidji with my Emma and Jake. Going to see my mom - who will be 88 on January 6th.

My love story with cancer is still being written.

Just like me, a work in progress.

So thank you, cancer… for bringing me so many things I can be thankful for.

I may not be teaching in a classroom anymore, but I hope I am still teaching about life, about hope, about faith, and greatest of all…  Love.

Thank you. I am so grateful and blessed to have you all in my life.

And as we say in our house,

everything is better with donuts  (and I’m getting some today).

And life is GOOD.

Xoxo