Touched by an angel...

You always hear about angels that roam the earth and make differences in people's lives.  Do we always know when we encounter such an angel?  It probably happens more often than we can imagine.
Today, Guy and I decided to take a drive to Monterey to have lunch and, of course, for me to get my ocean fix.  We had a lovely lunch overlooking the Bay and proceeded to walk around the cannery area.  The weather could not have been better - a typical 70 degree winter's day on the coast of California.  We walked a good distance up one end of the tourist area and then back in the other direction to end up at a beach cove area where there were some diver's just off of the coast.  We stopped there and stood for a moment looking out onto the water and the beach.  It was then that I noticed some nice benches to our left where we could sit and rest for a little bit.  There was a woman sitting alone on the first bench; I took notice of her but did not pay too much attention as we passed her by to sit on the bench to her left.  We sat for a while, taking in the sounds of the surf and watching divers and kayakers do their thing.  Very relaxing...

After a short time, the woman who was on the first bench walked over and stood in front of us stating that she hoped we didn't mind her coming over to talk to us.  She said that she could not help but notice my pink cap and wondered if I was either going through or just finished with chemotherapy.  I told her that I had just had my last chemo 2 weeks ago.  She shared with us that she had also been diagnosed with breast cancer and had gone through chemotherapy.  She proceeded to take my hand in hers as she looked me in the eye and said "you are going to be just fine. I want you to know that you are going to be fine".  I asked her how far out she was in her process and she replied that it has been 2-1/2 years for her.  She reassured me that my endurance and strength would return in a short amount of time and that yes, my hair would grow back just fine.  She said that by just looking at me she could tell that I had been in good physical shape before the cancer diagnosis as was she and that gave us "the edge" in good outcomes in recovery.  We shared with each other a bit more about our diagnosis, the surgeries we had, the reconstruction process and our chemotherapy journeys.  I asked her how she felt today and with a huge smile, she said that she felt great!

This lady was, I'm guessing to be in her early 60's.  She sported a natural grey short haircut which she proudly stated that she and her husband both loved (she had always worn her hair long before cancer and chemo left her bald).  She had lovely wrinkles on her face, a bit deep but very soft, which I have no doubt settled in from years of smiling and laughing and bright lively eyes.  The genuineness and warmth of her spirit flowed from her.  After a few minutes of exchanging experiences and her answering some of my questions, she went on her way.  As we said goodbye and as she walked away, tears started flowing from my eyes; I was overcome with emotion.

This person could simply have noticed my pink hat and wondered to herself whether or not I had cancer and went on her way.  But instead she took a moment from her day to come over to talk and provide me with comforting and reassuring words.  I tell myself every day that I have beat this and I will be fine.  Friends and family members tell me every day that they are so happy that I am going to be fine.  While trying to remain positive and believe these things is a daily practice, I am scared as hell inside - knowing what I just went through and terrified that it could happen again.  I believe that this lady having gone through all of this knew how scared a person is at the end of treatment, having experienced it herself - with all of the unanswered questions and worries about getting your life back.

It's possible that she walked away from our conversation, went on with her day and didn't think much of the impact that she had on another person's life.  For me, I thought of little else as the day went on and will remember her kindness always.  The experience seems such a small gesture on her part, but left me feeling that much more confident that yes, I am going to be fine.

I hope as I move forward through my journey that I too can make a positive difference and provide comfort to other's as a fellow survivor.  Moreover, I will endeavor when I notice someone who may need comfort that I will not just wonder and keep walking - that I too might take the time to stop and share words with that person, if only to say hello and exchange a pleasant smile.

Angels come to us in mysterious ways.  Or, perhaps they come to others through us.