The silverlinings!!

Since being diagnosed with cancer, I’ve tried to look for the silver linings that even the cruelest situations can bring.

This photo captures one of the most important ones for me.

Paul and I were each other’s best men at our weddings — ironically, we both married teachers. We’ve been best friends since high school and were even voted “best friends” by our class our senior year. Over the last decade, as we both raised our own families, work life and parent life made it harder to maintain the close bond we once shared.

When I first got sick — before most people even knew — my brother Kirk knew he needed to call Paul immediately. When I woke up from my colonoscopy on 6/9, Danielle, Kirk, my parents, and Paul were all in the waiting room. I had no idea my brother had reached out to him, and I’ll always be grateful that Paul dropped everything and showed up for me — not just that day, but in and out of the hospital all week.

During my hospital stays at two different locations, Paul came almost every day after work. On my last night there, he was one of the few who stayed overnight, then got up and went straight into work the next morning. That was the beginning of a reconnection that reminded us just how strong our bond really is.

Over the summer, our families spent a lot of quality time together. Once the kids went back to school, Paul and I started meeting for lunch almost every Friday. Having that weekly time has meant so much — a shared prayer before each meal, good food, and even better conversation.

Though we’re not biological relatives, there’s no doubt in my mind that we’re brothers from other mothers.

“Every day is a second chance at life. Don’t waste it.”

— Kyle Williams

Cancer has brought us closer again, now we enjoy lunch together weekly! Best friends for life!