The Flame of Determination

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Cord of 3 Strands sees this every day in the eyes of the good people who are drawn to seek our help and support. At first the “…look…” manifests as a vacant thousand yard stare. Slowly, gradually, over the course of time something best described as a flame begins to flicker in the eyes of those who have received this horrible diagnosis of Cancer. It continues to grow brighter and brighter as the weeks and months pass.

The fulfillment we find, and the reason for establishing Cord of 3 Strands is to demonstrate to our people that fear, anxiety, and stress are very natural human responses to discovering they have Terminal Cancer. Though it is the natural first response it certainly does not have to be one in which they remain stuck.   It is this very process of un-sticking that brings us such great joy. The Blessing of being allowed to witness such a transformation is beyond anything we could ask or imagine.

We now have more than anecdotal evidence that our Empathetic Approach has extended lives. There are eight people who have come to us after being given a prognosis of six months who are still here more than two years later. Not only that, but they are all happy to proclaim their lives are richer, more vibrant, and productive than ever before. At this point what was once a thousand yard stare has become the flame of determination.

Nothing in this world is capable of reordering our priorities like a Cancer diagnosis. What once seemed so important is now recognized as trivial. The material possessions and social status many seek plummet completely out of their lives. These surface and shallow goals are replaced by the desire to make an impact for good in the world. The legacy left by this desire for service can never be underestimated. This flame of determination mentioned above has now resulted in a brand new worldview AND a determination to leave the world a better place.

It has been said, you have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life. At Cord of 3 Strands we take great delight in walking side by side with people, who become our friends in the process, as they make this transition in their own lives.