A Tale of Two Cancers

​Two people in my life recently had cancer. Relative A, upon hearing his diagnosis, immediately went into the mindset that he was going to die. Relative B immediately went into the mindset that it was a temporary blip and something that he could easily overcome.
 
Fast forward to the outcomes: both were exactly as the person predicted/believed it would be.
 
When hearing the news of Relative A’s death over the weekend, I had a moment of sadness that they didn’t allow in healing or a different experience. Then I immediately realized what an arrogant thought that was for me to have. Who am I to say that he didn’t have the exact experience that his Soul desired? Maybe he was really ready for death, and this was his most elegant way of vacating his body. Maybe through the dying process, he learned a lot about himself and received more love from his family than he ever thought possible.
 
I completely honor when people choose to die, and yet here I was with some judgment that I didn’t even realize I had. 
 
No one can truly know the reasons why someone chooses to go through the experiences that they do. Notice if you assign judgment or blame, or even worse, shame. Making someone else, or even yourself, feel badly that they/you got a certain disease, or they/you need a certain surgery. Sometimes the very things we deem terrible are the perfect catalyst for tremendous spiritual growth. Relative B isn’t any better than Relative A because he beat cancer, he just had a different path. 
 
When I checked on him, Relative A was in the light and filled with joy and freedom. And he received incredible gifts in the way he chose to die.
 
So again, notice your thoughts and even if difficult, change them to honor what another needs and is going through. You don’t know better how another’s life should go, just like they don’t know better than you how yours should go. 
 
Be the love and hold space for another the way they need, even if it’s the opposite of what you would do.