Imagine the Possibilities of A New Year, Even With Cancer

Toward the end of every year, I treat myself to a new wall calendar.

I enjoy having a physical calendar that allows me to flip through the months. Many websites offer templates to help a person create a personalized calendar. The simple layouts allow ease of use for first-time users and more creative options for those more skilled.

The first year after receiving my diagnosis, every square on my personalized calendar was packed with appointments. I was thankful. It helped keep me on track reminding where I was to go and who I was to see. Without it, I’d have missed an appointment or two or may have scheduled overlapping appointments without realizing it.

When that year ended, I almost threw the calendar in the trash. I didn’t want to be reminded of the difficult surgery and treatments I’d endured. Instead, I tucked it in a dresser drawer.

Since that first year, I’ve kept every calendar as a way of not only remembering past events but also as a reminder of how far I’ve come.

The appointments have slowed since I was diagnosed six years ago, but I still have a few that dot the calendar.

This year though has been exceptionally tough for many with COVID-19 and although there have been challenges, I imagine there are those, like me, who hope for a better scenario next year.

So instead of designing my own calendar for next year, I opted for a pre-made one that is filled with beautiful scenery and has large squares on which to write.

As I sit and daydream about the places I could go and the things I could see, the calendar lies open on my desk. Staring at the empty pages, I wonder how long it will be before they’re filled with appointment reminders, but more than that, I wonder about the wonderful adventures just within my reach.

Time has taken on a new meaning since cancer came into my life. It has become more precious. I don’t want to waste a single minute.

I flip to the month of February and in red ink jot down the annual checkup with my oncologist. Immediately after that entry, I flip through the pages to the month of July and make a long red line through two weeks’ worth of squares. Above the line, I write one word, Iceland.

It’s hard to believe I agreed to participate in a travel excursion so far away from home, but cancer has also made me brave. My grown children use the phrase “YOLO” often. The first time I heard it, I wasn’t sure what it means, but now I know. It means you only live once— and I’ve adopted it as my motto.

The calendar seems to scream, “Imagine the possibilities!” And before I know it, I find myself doing just that. The beautiful photos from around the world remind me I’ve much to see and do before I depart this earth.

Cancer used to dictate how I lead my life, but not anymore.

Imagine the possibilities! Where would you go and what would you do if you were brave enough to step out in faith?

A calendar doesn’t necessarily need to include trips around the world. Perhaps your possibility is small, like a trip to a neighborhood park or a visit to a nearby city. Whatever it may be, schedule it and follow through. Without a plan, you plan to fail.

The calendar should contain more enjoyable events than ones you will dread.

Imagine the possibilities, because a new year is ahead!