With gratitude comes happiness

Onwards and Upwards No. 42

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well.

As I write this, I sit at the Alfred Hospital doing all of the pre testing before I can undergo a Stem Cell Transplant (SCT) which is booked for mid April.  Today, I have had a full skeletal survey, a chest X-ray, a cardiac test, an ECG and a detailed blood exam, all completed to ensure that my body is strong enough to tolerate the bad ass drugs that they are going to give me as part of the SCT. I need the SCT to bring my Myeloma back under control and to give me a chance at long term remission. When I ponder it, it sucks to think that these drugs are going to be that hard core and harsh that they need to comprehensively test the condition of my body to ensure I can tolerate them.  Crazy!!  However, I am doing all of this to live longer.

It is my perspective that my health is just one aspect of my life, and whilst it is pretty challenging, the rest of my life gives me so much to be grateful for.  I feel grateful because I have;

• Two happy kids;
• A beautiful wife who is caring and supportive.
• Had more than 1000 people attend the MY Mount Eliza Festival that was the realisation of my vision and dream.
• Been supported in the delivery of the Festival by over 120 volunteers, with most of those being my amazing family and friends.
• Through the Festival, raised over $25k for Myeloma Australia so that they can continue to support patients, carers and families.
• Shared the event with most of you.
• A couple of weeks of school holidays where I can spend fun times with my wife, kids and friends.

All of this is just frikkin awesome!!  I feel so appreciative and grateful.

I was recently listening to a presentation delivered by David Steindl-Rast.  He explained why happiness is born from gratitude. To quote him, “If you are grateful, you’re not fearful. If you’re not fearful, you’re not violent. If you are grateful, you act out of a sense of enough, as opposed to scarcity, and you are willing to share. If you are grateful, you enjoy the differences in people and are respectful.”

The way I see it, if you are grateful, you appreciate, and with appreciation comes happiness. When I stop and reflect on what I am grateful for, I appreciate what I do have (in the sense of enough) as opposed to what I don’t have.  It is at this point that I don’t focus on my challenges, I focus on the abundance of awesomeness around me!

You are part of that awesomeness.  Thank you.

Take care

Geoff

Author: Geoff Nyssen

As a cancer fighter, I inspire others towards empowerment, wellness and deliberate living. View all posts by Geoff Nyssen