Butterflying from a Cancer Survivor to a Sur-Thriver

June 30, 2013

Cancer Survivor...not something I ever dreamed I would be calling myself, especially at 42 years old. But here I am...a survivor joining a group of over 13 million Americans other survivors. Now while that is a large group of people, it is actually only about 4% of the population. So now that I am a survivor, what do I do? Because the journey certainly doesn't just end here. Somehow the survivor now needs to become the sur-thriver.
The first thing I decided to do was attend the 9th Annual Cancer Support Community's Survivors Symposium in Indianapolis. On June 15, I had the privilege to share my day with about 100 other cancer survivors. It was on this day that I realized how important other survivors are to my journey. It is such a powerful moment when others confirm your feelings, isn't it? The reality that you are not the only one going through this. You are not the only person who is dealing with these struggles...it is very comforting!

The highlight of my day was meeting Anne Ryder during our butterfly release. For those of you not from Indiana, Anne Ryder is an Emmy Award winning television journalist and writer, as well as an amazing speaker. Among her many accomplishments, she was the only American reporter in more than a decade to be granted a sit-down interview with Mother Theresa. An outstanding interview I remember watching years ago.
Anne was the keynote speaker at the symposium. She began with a description of what she calls our 'golden thread'; the thread that weaves a tapestry of connections in our lives. When your life changes in an instant, you can choose to thrive and use the experience for a higher good, bringing new positive connections into your life. Anne explains, "The thread of connection becomes the 'golden thread' through which love and healing take on a transcendent power and turn something tragic into something triumphant." I immediately thought of my blog, and how all of you who read it are connected to my 'golden thread'. With your reading and sharing, you have help send healing power through my thread.

     Anne then told a beautiful story about butterflies relating them to the 'golden thread'.  Now for years, I have been fascinated with the mysterious monarch butterflies and the journey they make to Mexico each year. Each summer, my kids and I walk to the creek to find milkweed housing caterpillars. We bring them home and put them and plenty of milkweed in jars. Within a few days, they begin making their cocoon. As you can see in the picture on the right, the cocoon has what looks like a 'golden thread' running through it. When the monarch butterfly removes itself from its cocoon, we send them on their way.
     As you can imagine, I was thrilled to hear that we were going to be releasing butterflies to recognize the courage and strength of survivors, as well as in memory of those who have succumbed to the disease. It was a beautiful, peaceful moment for me as I released two butterflies for myself and in memory of my Aunt Barbara and my cousin Lori.
     So while I am happy to have survived what I hope is the worst of it...my journey doesn't end here. I am out of that cocoon that cancer put me in. I must spread my new wings to become a sur-thriver!
Remember when life changes in an instant...
what you get from the journey comes with who you surround yourself with along the way.