Tag Archives: #hope

So Happy That City of Hope Builds Hopeful Foundation

2 Replies

My motivation to start posting about gratitude originated from an illness that began in 2017. Now, six years later, I am grateful to be alive because of wonderful doctors at various hospitals. Recently, the City of Hope broke ground to build a new hospital closer to my home, targeted to open in 2025. My goal is to have treatments in that hospital in 2025 and long after.

A week ago, after labs and a visit with my doctor, I stepped outside to enjoy a cup of coffee, and was so pleased to discover that a huge ceiling beam had been positioned on the ground, with pens and instructions, inviting patients to sign and write an uplifting message on the beam. These messages will be built into the Foundation of Orange County’s only specialty cancer hospital to be completed by Summer of 2025. As one of their patients, I am thrilled to know that my note of gratitude will be embedded forever within the new hospital.

With deep gratitude, I recognize the outstanding missions of the City of Hope to provide HOPE, HEALING, Peace, Knowledge of best practices, and inclusion in every way possible to their patients. So joyful to receive treatments within the COH network.

#gratitudelite

Grateful For Hope

Leave a reply

Hope is such a great feeling! Hope may be expressed in multiple ways:

  • Hope is often linked to a belief that something good may happen.
  • Hope is sometimes a feeling of a wonderful expectation for the future.
  • Hope implies something good will occur immediately or soon.
  • Hope is possibility.
  • Hope is positivity.
  • Hope is optimism.
  • Hope springs eternal is an old proverb linked to human nature.
  • Hope may be tied to something small like winning a ball game, passing a test, or to something deeply spiritual through prayer and/or meditation.
  • Hope has just four letters, but is such a nice little word with the lightly tapped “p” sound your lips make as you say the word.
  • Hope begins with the pushing out of your breath as you say the “h” which reminds us of “flow” of “air” as you exhale during breath work.

What a great concept – HOPE! Be grateful today for HOPE!

#gratitudeultra

Grateful To Find Comfort When In the Valley

1 Reply

It is hard to feel happy and grateful when you are afraid and stressed with life events. Last night I was in the “valley” in my life as my cancer has returned after more than five years being cancer free. Apparently, my tumors are like “sands” and they cannot perform surgery as they would have to “take up the entire beach”. I lost hope when learning that I would have to take chemo again. I hoped/believed that during the five years some new treatment might have been discovered, yet I was reminded that my ovarian/peritoneal cells were rare and my prognosis for life was short. What ever might I post today to lift our spirits?

Then, I remembered the verse from Psalms 23:4:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

KJV

What does this verse mean for us?

I am grateful to find comfort within this verse, and as I typically do, I searched for a deeper meaning to understand the new calm I felt when reflecting on these words:

  • David, in the earlier verses, had been describing green pastures, still waters, and pathways. I compared this to my five years of cancer-free joy and gratitude.
  • In verse 4, David switched to a description of a “shadow of death”. This seemed to capture how I was feeling with the diagnosis and treatment plan upon relapse.
  • But just as soon as I had a heart-felt low, David reminds one “not to fear” because God is with us.

Thus, through this post today I wish to emphasize the importance of “spiritual medicine”.

Just as I plan my chemical infusions, I realize I am also reminded regarding and recognizing the presence of ongoing Divine intervention. Divine intervention which never changes over the years.

God inspired sweet and deep passages to continually protect, love, instruct, and remind us.

Today, I find deep gratitude as the words in Psalms echo in my heart: no more shadows, no more fears, no more evil as God is with me, now, in this valley of decisions.

#gratitudeultra

Grateful For Credibility

Leave a reply

Credibility is the quality of being trusted and believed in as well as being convincing and believable. I like this concept. During these days of watching the news, or talking with friends and neighbors or colleagues, it seems difficult to determine what to believe about many different topics. Whose story do I trust? I do not like to argue with people, and I strive to respect the various opinions, as I typically do not know a person’s personal experiences and backgrounds.

I am finding that many days I am growing tired of so much information and apparent differences in viewpoints regarding economics, inflation, politics, the war, selection of judges, school curriculum, and on and on. I would like to have peace and quiet and harmony around me. I would love to be with happy, satisfied people who are grateful for their lives. I love to spend time around people I trust.

Thus, today I am grateful for credibility. In addition to credibility I will also add positivity and joy. It makes me feel good inside when I spend time with people who give to others, helpful people, kind people, people who are trustworthy and people who offer hope to all. Where possible, I find deep gratitude when I spend time with credible people.What do you think?

#gratitudelite

Gratitude to the President of Ukraine

1 Reply

President Zelenskyy is a wartime hero, a global leader, and a model citizen harnessing the power of social media to teach important lessons re: humanity to all persons throughout the world. From the horrors of the war by Russia, Ukrainians’ heroism, bravery, and courage are displayed daily, 24/7, for all of us to witness and from which we may learn important lessons for life.

To be able to witness the impact that one man has around the entire globe is awe inspiring.

I pray everyday that Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, will live as we all need his messages:

  • Follow your moral compass with honor in the face of horror.
  • Human suffering may be overcome through bravery and inspiration.
  • Hope springs forward from ordinary citizens who are inspired.
  • A Spirit of Community reminds us to not leave our friends or our neighbors in the face of adversity.
  • The best of humanity emerges through kindness and unprecedented support of strangers.
  • “Be all you can be” is a true statement that will come true through aspiration.
  • Wartime politics is a “mirror” through which we reflect who we truly are.

I will always remember President Zelenskyy because his words, his leadership model, his moral compass have challenged the world. I ask myself:

Where was I during the Russian War against Ukraine, and what did I do for the good of humanity?

How did a single man, an actor, become a politician who united Europe through NATO, who eliminated, in part, the partisan actions within the USA Congress, who demonstrated global outreach positively through the internet, who dared to sit in his office and wait for Putin to attack him, have such a profound impact around the globe?

President Zelenskyy gives me HOPE and I am so pleased to live during his leadership.

#gratitudeultra

Note: the image was selected from a Tweet by #bettemidler @BetteMidler on March 4, 2022.

Gratitude For Immortality

2 Replies

I am so grateful for my “Gratitude Stream”, my “moral virtues”, my parents instilled in me that I would like to share a bit with you. I believe that many people have a spiritual side and through such seek relief during times of illness and death, or when fearful, or worried. I also believe that we have “sacred portals” at specific moments throughout our life during which time we seek deeper explanations for particular events in our personal lives.

Personally, as a young child growing up, I observed my parents assisting many people because my parents were pastors. For my mother and father’s teachings I am deeply appreciative. In fact, as I grow older and watch tragedies emerge, I would like to share my parents’ wisdom with you, because I believe their words will give you peace and understanding too, during the stillness of the night.

Continue reading →

Grateful For Hope

Leave a reply

In four days, Gratitudesquared.com will be 9 months old.

(from 02/05/2021 to 11/05/2021).

So today is like the birth of my baby! I have posted 143 thoughts in posts, had 4036 views, and 1418 different visitors.

I am not trending and my musings are not popular but I am alive and that is enough.

Earlier, I started a YOUTUBE Channel (A.K.A. Aspiring Through Cancer (ATC))

01/11/2019 to 02/18/2019

Gradually I stopped focusing only on Cancer and started to focus on Health and Wellness so my Channel name changed to “Aspiring Through Healing to Health and Wellness (ATH) which lasted during 12/22/2019 to 04/25/2020.

Continue reading →

Gratitude For Hope And Promise

4 Replies

My life is changing again. I don’t mind change as it serves as a challenge for me to learn new information and experience different events.

Some of you may remember my post on September 14, 2021 “Gratitude Through Anxiety” in which I explained that I was about to undergo CT scans to check the status of my health. I am happy to report that my abdominal, pelvic, and chest scans showed no change again! We are pleased with these results. For nearly 4 and 1/2 years my health has remained stable.

At the same time, the pathologist noted lung nodule “suspicious for the spectrum of adenocarcinoma”. With the awe comes the shock now! My gynecologist referred me to a pulmonologist to make decisions as to how to proceed. I feel concern right now because of the current pandemic. A serious issue is having a potential “lung” surgery during the additional complication of a COVID variant. This is bad news…

Continue reading →