Johann, Sade, Ethan, Kuya Vigil, Frederick, Mommy Mely, Evelyn, Joaquin, Anton, Doc Joy, Bheng, Ed
DAY 18 - LOVE
After my cancer diagnosis, I relish every moment that I spend with my family during our out of town trips, especially when we are complete. When my two sisters and their families arrived in Manila for a 10-14 day stay, I made sure that those would be wonderful memories that they would remember forever like our trip to Bohol in 2017. We all felt the love and care through our family bonding and none of us wanted those happy days to end.
As a patient with cancer, some of you put up brave fronts especially among close family members so that the latter will not worry about the pain that you are experiencing in your physical body, the uncertainty that keeps creeping into your thoughts as well as the fear of a possible treatment failure or even recurrence.
You want to be healed and to survive to be with your family until it is time for you to go, hopefully from a reason other than cancer. But the key to all this is L.O.V.E.
It is time to LISTEN to unspoken words and be attuned to the silent cries in the night when you think everyone is asleep or resting,
It is time to OBSERVE for any tell-tale signs of weakness like loss of appetite, weight loss, and even mood swings of a family member, especially your child.
It is time to VOICE out the words that need to be said out loud, especially when you can make someone smile and even laugh to their heart's delight.
Finally, it is time to open your arms and give a warm EMBRACE because you need all the hugs that you can get and receive when others hug you back, even virtual ones.
The time to L.O.V.E. is now, when there is still time.
PAUSE
From 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
PRAY
God the Father, thank You for my family whom I hold dear to my heart. Thank You for giving me the chance to love them in every way I can in the same way that You
have shown me Your love, as You grant me the healing that I desire and free me from all the afflictions that I am suffering from. In Jesus Name. AMEN.
PERFORM
Remember to say the words, "I love you!" out loud today to every member of your family.