It has been a while since I last wrote about my glioma, I have suddenly felt an urge to share what I have learned so far. Nearly 2 years after being diagnosed I was discussing with my "twin-brother", the fellow Brazilian operated one day before me at Montpelier, what has changed since our surgery. I now feel prepared to share the key lessons from the incredible experience of feeling mortal and I want to share with those with and without glioma what I have learned so far. Here are my key take-aways:
- Death is a great equalizer and it shows the true value of life: from the moment I was hospitalized at a public hospital in Guarulhos, where as in most public hospitals in Brazil patients vastly outnumber health care professionals, I learned the extreme value that people that live to serve others deliver. The attention I got from the nurses that work for very little, the sympathy from all those that surrounded me during my walk through the desert of my diagnose and most importantly the understanding that we are all living creatures worth exactly the same under Heaven made me have a much better comprehension of life and its value, not only my life but that of every human being and living creature;
- The value of time: time is the most precious gift we have as from it all other gifts derive. I have shared that yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future and today is a gift, that is why it is called the present. Nothing can be more true, the present is the only certainty we have and we should always respect it as God. Of course we are all humans and as such we are subject to making mistakes, sometimes bad ones, but trying to do good now and learn from our mistakes, which is truly the only value of the past, is our most important mission.
- The eternity of good: history abounds with examples of how doing good outlasts evil. It is no accident that Salomon's kingdom is gone but his religion, Judaism, is still alive for the values it preaches. The same can be said about the Roman Empire, gone, and Christianism, still alive. Another example comes form the Ottoman Empire, gone, and Islamism, still alive. The true value of all religions is setting a foundation for people to put the collective above the individual as God resides in the collection of all individuals and nature, by definition, as He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Unfortunately humans ritualized religion and turned a deep spiritual exercise to understand what we are doing here into a set of rituals and divisions to separate one group from another. I just read a brilliant book from a friend that described his spiritual journey while travelling in India. Among incredible descriptions of how he felt God everywhere, particularly at the Ganges River, he pictured a scenario where people would worship themselves. While selfish at first it would lead to a state where no one would blindly follow others to destroy, corrupt or impose values on others in the name of religion. If we all followed the common thread of all religions, not doing to others what we do not wish done to ourselves, the world would certainly be very close to, if not a perfect portrait, of Heaven.
- I was never religious but going through this journey felt a bit like attending my own funeral. In fact a friend shared with me that my College's year-end/"go-away" party right before my surgery was thought to be by many the last time they would see me in good health. I have to say that I am very fortunate to have the best family and friends in the world and for that I am grateful and proud to have lived a great life and for making mostly great choices.
As I mentioned in my first take-away life is about feeling closer to others and to nature, and not about separation or conquest. I was blown away this weekend when I greeted a few people in a condo, where in theory everyone knows each other. The two ladies walking up the street that I greeted almost had a happiness fit for the simple fact that I gave them a good morning. They shared that nowadays no one says good morning and how refreshing it felt to finally get one from a by-stander.
No one knows how long life will last, it can last a few days or several years, I certainly hope for several decades of a healthy and productive life, but the secret to eternal life is to live life while it lasts, and until the last bit of life exists in us we should all do our best to be kind and gentle. Like I taught my daughter while playing basketball with her this weekend the secret to a happy life is not playing to win, but playing to enjoy the game as we will all eventually lose. Life is not about the destiny but about the journey, I really hope you all have a great trip and enjoy the ride, I certainly am enjoying it and I am glad you are part of it.
