Thoughts on the Cold
January is here and the cold has finally firmly set in. The snow has too! Many of you know that one of the several side effects of the type of chemotherapy I’m receiving is what’s called “neuropathy.” This means it causes my nerves to be hypersensitive to the cold. It’s pretty weird. Even in 40 degree weather It feels to me like it’s in the 20s or 30s. If I touch something cold at all it causes my hands and fingers to sting, or if I take a deep breath in the cold air or take a drink of anything cold at all I’ll choke. So I’ve come to really appreciate good gloves and scarves this winter.
Don’t get me wrong though, this isn’t to complain. There are much worse side effects people have to deal with. This is really more of an inconvenience and an annoyance than anything.
But, it’s gotten me thinking about how there really is power in a touch – perhaps more than we realize. A hug, a kind word, a note of encouragement, a gift – these things go so far in people’s lives. So many people have reached out to me over the last several months and I’ll always be grateful. This process has given me a brand new perspective on just how far a touch from someone really goes. For me, it’s made an incredible difference.
This seems such a simple idea. But it’s the simple things we can take for granted sometimes. I think I did before all this happened.
There are so many things in life that sting us, hurt us, choke us, wear us down. Our words and actions can drastically turn someone’s day around. They can change one’s perspective from darkness to light by just a simple word or act of kindness.
What we do for people, how we treat people, matters.
I think Jesus knew this when he commanded us to love each other. It’s incredibly important. It’s the way the world gets at least a very small sense of the great love of God. After all, the greatest of these things is Love. And Love, ultimately, never fails (1 Cor 13).
The Update
My sixth and final chemotherapy infusion is tomorrow. I’m both excited that it’s finally the last one and dreading the next two weeks of side effects. But this is the last one! And that’s a very good thing.