Resilient Beauty

I keep typing these first words trying to describe my friend Laura to you, but all I keep doing is reaching for the delete key because nothing I say is enough. I guess I can use her own token word, “Resilient.” She claimed that word as her own in February  when, within herself, she knew something was off in her body. She didn’t know yet that cancer was trying to attack her organs and bones. Trying. That’s another word. Because Laura’s not letting it. She’s fighting back. She is resilient. And it’s amazing to watch.

This may seem strange, but the experience so far has been life changing — for the better. And while I don’t have cancer, I feel like it’s changed me too. It’s built my faith incredibly. It’s made me search what I really believe and make that a reality. It’s forced me to be bold and honest and really seek God and not be afraid to share my belief in God and his living power. And in that, Laura’s learned and grown so much too. We’ve been doing this amazing sharing of realizations in our own lives that we are each adopting as our own and trying to make part of our lives. It’s so beautiful and awesome and powerful.

As I tried to be positive and empowering and supportive for Laura, it was her who was inspiring me the most. Well, “is” inspiring me, I should say. She is taking control of her cancer and is a completely new person. By a complete blessing, she got an appointment with an amazing doctor at UC San Francisco, who has helped change the way she thinks about cancer and healing and, get this, food. Yep, food. She’s taken so many steps to “starve” her cancer, so to speak, and she is feeling better than she EVER has. While she’s on chemo now, the doctors can’t believe that she has absolutely no side effects — and no pain (because cancer in the bones is supposed to be the most painful). I totally believe it’s God, her resilience, her determination and the changes she’s adapted to her life 100 percent.

Again, I can’t explain how I feel so lucky to be me right now, to be seeing great things happening for a great friend. Sure, there are tears, but the majority of them are the good kind. And there’s hope. There’s been hope the entire time because I know everyone Laura talks to is going to be effected and inspired. You can’t help it. I just want to be more like her. To see what I need to do, and do it. No hesitation. No excuses.

I spent Saturday morning with Laura in her backyard. We both love mornings. We used to drink coffee together, but now we enjoy her homemade granola on the patio. Mmmm. A big-hearted artist herself, we started making jewelry in her art studio, but moved into the sun for some camera love time. I’m honored she let me take her picture, which I’m sharing here. We were both inspired this week by some vintage-esque shots with unlikely framing. I hope you enjoy. Don’t forget to click “keep reading” at the end for a bunch more photos. Some day, I’m going to let Laura do a guest blog so she can really tell her own story of how she beat the “C’ word. Cus she will. No doubt in my mind.