Is Life Really About Attitude...

Let's boil it down to one question - what does life really mean to you? An attitude can be taken to mean any number of things. It can prove to transpire your life or it can hold you back from who you choose to be. Like it or not, the life you lead is completely determined by the attitude that you have. Now, I'm not saying it's alright to walk around with your nose stuck up in the air or with your tail between your legs. What I'm telling you is simply put...just know who you are. Think of your attitude as a necessity - as a means to an end.

We live in a day and age where honesty is NOT a virtue...where loyalty somewhat lacks...and where honor is given to the highest bidder. Every day we hear stories of crime and horror that are happening in our own back yards. It's time to rise above that - to make a statement. Do you have what it takes to go after what you want? Do you possess the right attitude to end up with what you think you deserve? Are you willing to take one step backwards if it means you'll be able to take two steps ahead in the future? Just take a moment to think about that one while I tell you a little story. It's the story of a woman...a daughter, a mother, a friend. That woman is me...

There was a time in my life when I thought it was easy. A time when I took my life for granted. I realized the hard way that in all reality, life is short. It's something that can be ripped away from us at any moment. When I was only 26 years old and the mother of two young boys, I was told that I had cancer. The words hit me like a ton of bricks...I couldn't even think. The clinical term they used was stage three renal cell carcinoma. To all of you normal people like me, that means kidney cancer. So, determined not to let it hold me back, I did as much research as I could. I found out that this type of disease is predominant in middle-aged white men. Hhhhmmm...let's think for a minute! To this day, a reason on why is struck me is unknown. And I don't really care why it struck me, I'm just glad it did.

Looking death in the face and being able to walk away taught me a valuable lesson. It made me see that my attitude to never give up helped me to survive. It's a courage that my children could see in me. And, it's a self-taught pride that not many people possess. Through the hospital stays and the inability to walk, I gained an appreciation for the simpler things in life. The things that used to just pass me by. My time was spent enjoying the company of my friends and working on my first manuscript. When I got the letter from a publisher agreeing to put my book in print, it was the most amazing feeling in the world. So, the book was officially titled "A Cancer Survivor's Legacy" and it's my hope that my words will help at least one person. I may not have an "in your face" attitude, but I do have what I like to call the "survivor" attitude.

It took me a long time to come to terms with the life I've been given. But, I can honestly say, I wouldn't choose anything else. I'm perfectly happy where I am...