It’s always been inevitable that it would get hard at some point. I knew very little about cancer when I was diagnosed. It was something that happened to people. Some got through it, others didn’t. I lost my grandmother to it four days before my fourteenth birthday....

When I was younger, I flushed a tank full of fish because I assumed they were doomed. Years later, fighting cancer, I’m reminded daily why assuming the ending is dangerous.

Strength is often mistaken for resolution. But there’s a wide middle between victory and defeat—a place where the fight is ongoing, the outcome is unknown, and you’re still living your life.

Having thoughts about the unthinkable does not mean you’ve made a decision. It means you’re confronting reality and choosing how you carry what’s heavy instead of pretending it isn’t there.

I spent a long time believing that I could do everything for everyone. I was good at it too. But capacity has limits, and every yes carries a cost that isn’t always visible until it’s too late.

A single sentence I blurted out at fourteen taught me a lesson in gratitude I still carry today. Three decades, a cancer diagnosis, and a lot of life later… I finally understand just how much that moment shaped me

When life tries to knock you down, you have a choice: stop at survival or live anyway. This isn’t about waiting for a breakthrough moment — it’s about small acts of defiance that add up to purpose.