To be candid, my bride and I have not envisioned ourselves sitting on easy chairs at the beach, watching the tide roll in and out as we march on through our retired life.

Our plan always has been to travel hither and yon. We sold our RV recently, but our travel plans remain intact.

But … first things first.

We have a health issue to battle and to whip. You see, my bride was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her brain. The doctor removed most of it. The plan now is to blast the rest of it out of there through an aggressive treatment of radiation and chemotherapy. The docs are clear about the intent of this therapy: to shrink what’s left of the tumor … with the aim of eliminating it altogether!

My optimism is high. More importantly, so is hers. This challenge has taught us many valuable lessons. We are receiving love from family and friends. It’s even coming from people we don’t know well. The lesson has been to accept it with open arms and hearts.

The next lesson has been that no matter how smoothly your journey through life has been, one should always expect to encounter the occasional shock to one’s system. My wife’s shock arrived the day after Christmas when she received the diagnosis of a mass in her brain.

The journey, though, continues along a different path than what we had envisioned. The destination remains the same and for that I will stay focused. More importantly, so will my bride.

Our blessings mount even as we embark on the effort to face down this challenge. They provide us with optimism looking ahead. They are coming in the form of the love that is pouring forth. I can state with absolute certainty that the love will sustain us.

johnkanelis_92@hotmail.com