A Tear to the Eye

I was speaking at a luncheon. During the meal, I began a conversation with the lady
next to me. When she asked me about my current project, I mentioned the book. She
told our table a story that put tears in everyone’s eyes.
A single working mother in her town found out she had breast cancer. Her family and
estranged ex-husband were several states away, and she knew she was going to need
help. She got a baby-sitter for her children and asked all of her friends to join her for
dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner, she told her friends that she had breast can-
cer and explained the treatments and timing of her disease. She said she needed their
help desperately.
They made a list of all the things they could do for her and then created a schedule.
For the next 12 months they were there with her and for her every step of the way.
Whatever she needed, they did.
This group of fiends gained such a sense of fulfillment out of helping that they
formed a special group. When any woman in their town was diagnosed with cancer,
they rallied together, found out what the person’s needs were, and helped out for as
long as it took. Now that’s a support group!
When you are single, alone, and in need, friends are a special gift. And, never forget
that you reap what you sow. There will be a time when you will need to help them.
Most of our family and friends are the mainstays of our lives. Where would we be
without them? They are there for picnics, weddings, graduations, birthdays, and—
more important—the little, normal, everyday things. Family and friends are the peo-
ple we not only share our joys with but also our sorrows. Family and friends help us
double the joys we share and cut the sorrows in half. Family and friends can be a big
help in dealing with and getting through breast cancer.