After recently giving birth, a friend of mine was diagnosed with a terminal and aggressive form of brain cancer. In disbelief, I wrote to her about holding onto hopes for advancements in medicine and new treatments. True to her nature, she thoughtfully replied that while it’s safe and normal to hang onto those hopes, it’s also important and meditative to just be aware of her true time range and recognize that there’s no way of knowing how it will really play out.

[1800 words, SEO]