Dancing through the Storm

Tami’s KjzzFuzion Testimony

Life is not fair.  It is full of surprises.  Sometimes life gives us challenges that can overwhelm our defenses.  At this moment, there are individuals facing great losses.  Loss of property.  Loss of a way of life.  Loss of life itself.  This can happen at anytime and to anybody.  In our control is the way that we deal with losses and it matters very much for our recovery.  It’s normal to go through denial and anger when facing a loss but refuse to define yourself by the loss.  In saying  life is full of surprises, be ready to live through all life has to offer, when the weather is good as well as the bad storms.

We recently had the opportunity to speak with one of the most optimistic and happy person we’ve ever met.  Her name is Tami and her happiness is infectious.  Tami gave us a remarkable testimony on how she bravely deals with a “painful” condition.  Tami was diagnosed with breast cancer 15 years  ago.  It has recently relapsed, metastacised, and is incurable.  If you ask Tami about her condition, she will tell you that she has a chronic disease.   However, most days she’ll be at work counseling others or planning vacation time to spend with her family.

Tami loves humor and finds it can help make the worst situations better.  Tami has a great appreciation for life and nature.  She has periods of fear but she has made a conscious decision to live happily.  She accepts that her frequent medical visits are only to extend her quality of life.  Tami has made peace with herself and cares more about the people around her and their welfare when she’s gone.  Tami has been busy preparing everybody for when she’s gone.  She does this with a cool head and realism that surprise her.  At work, she shares her contacts and teaches everybody to be self sufficient.  She has also made her funeral arrangements and updated her will.

Tami shares that she cries and worry at times, but quickly puts it aside to enjoy the life she has left.  She enjoys simple and innocuous things, like sunrise and sunset, walking in the woods, gathering mushrooms, and trips with her husband. She still has a lot of things she would like to experience before she “leaves” and she tells us that it is “now” that you have to do it and not wait. In the case of Tami, her religious belief brings her comfort and a deep peace of mind. When asked what is the best advice she could give to us, she answered: “Enjoy every moment of life and see beauty even in the simplest things”.

We plan to share some excerpts from Tami’s video testimony later.  Her experience is an extreme case that tells us that with the right perspective we can see life as a beautiful journey even during a storm.  Tami is not a dancer but she met her husband during a dance event.  We reminded her of that time and she plans to dance in the kitchen with her husband and even take a few dance lessons if she has the time.  Tami naturally uses humor and religion to maintain her center.  Used to its proper advantage, dance offers the same.  In dance, we can reach harmony with our true selves and realize that life is joyful and that we are part of it.  Music and dance are great mediums for reflection and meditation.  They teach that despite adverse situations, we remain blessed.  As dancers take the opportunity to ask yourself some fundamental questions while you are dancing and in your happy place. You may be surprised by some wonderful ideas and solutions.