Friday, February 25, 2011

Cancer Societies...

Let me tell you what I really like about cancer!  Do you remember reading or hearing about 19th Century Artists sitting around Parisian Cafes talking art?  Those were the days and they are hard to come by now.
We are secretive and private and not willing to share.  I imagine in those Parisian Cafes talking of art, talking of who got laid, who can't describe crap, inventing new styles on napkins, sharing your innermost thoughts.
Intimacy.  And no fear of being copied, that would be the highest honor!  Good enough to copy.
People went to Paris from all over the world just to join in this experience.  Now we have no time for such.
We have the idea that if I share with you I will be subtracting from me.  Or I may be quoted or misquoted.
You may steal my idea.  Funny in this modern age of instant communication that we are more isolated than ever.  We have become "private people", alone in our self imposed exile, unwilling to move from the safety of the island that we create.  A corner cafe was traded for the convenience of fast take out.
      The exception to this is found in Cancer patients!  We tell everybody everything!  There are more blogs about Cancer than maybe even sex.  We have created a community of sharing and caring, of giving and hope.  We will tell our stories to anyone who will listen, anywhere, anytime.  We are way beyond secrets, beyond embarrassment.  We will tell you how close to the edge we got, how hot the fires were and how tired we became.  We are a society and I like that part the best.
My other blog is HERE.

2 comments:

  1. Very interesting post Stonepost...today I was walking, in London, and noticed that NO-ONE wants to make eye contact with others. Everyone is wrapped up in their own private space, keeping themselves to themselves, intentional isolation.

    Then we come to the cancer community where we open up and share everything with strangers around the globe.
    I used to be one of those isolated city dwellers, I'd never ever have imagined myself discussing intimate parts of my body with strangers.
    But cancer does a funny thing to you, it draws you to others who may need help with what is to come. I feel we learn so much from each other through blogging.

    I like the society we've all created - just wish none of us had needed to form this particular society.

    Anyway Stonepost - great post :-)
    xxx

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  2. Carole, you are so right! Big cities can be the loneliest of places. Call me "Jerry", that's how I think of myself anyway, although I have been called worse! I am so glad you are getting better, healing a bit and best of all, staying Away from those doctors! They call them
    "practitioners" for a reason, you know!

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