Adversity brings opportunity. Yes, it brings pain and suffering as well, however through it we have the chance to learn, to grow and develop and find positivity in situations that would otherwise get the better of us. Adversity also brings a reminder; The reminder that life is precious, and that sometimes it's not material things that are the most valuable. It can bring new horizons and make familiar ones seem so much more important.

Adversity, difficult times...For me at the moment it makes me think of the **_C-WORD_**...You know...Cancer. 

Some time ago my wife's mum was diagnosed with cancer and in the subsequent months has had an operation and begun chemotherapy. Unfortunately things didn't go well and she had to cease the chemotherapy treatment, which was due to run for six months, due to a severe reaction to it, along with other complications. I won't go into details except to say that she was certain to die from the complications and it's only due only the insistence by my wife that she return to hospital that she did not. She will be recommencing the chemotherapy from today and, as before, it is expected to run for six months. Unless there is complications of course.

![P1020373.jpg](https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/galenkp/fd9wyl2m-P1020373.jpg)

Cancer is cruel, as you may well know. It is indiscriminate and certainly doesn't mind who it takes: Women, men, old and young...It is cruel but common.

I recall sitting in the hospital with my dying mother, she was 59, and in the next bed was a 6 year old child who had cancer as well. He died first, then my mum did a week later. My wife had to tell her father that she *would be ok* and that he could *let go*, that she didn't want him to be in pain anymore. He was 33 years old and she was 11. My wife also lost her aunt earlier this year, her grand mother late last year and her mother lost her partner of 26 years only two weeks after her own cancer operation back in August. Yep, cancer fucking sucks. Now we face it over again with my mother in law and this latest course of chemotherapy which brings it's own set of challenges. 

I guess everyone has a cancer-story. I mean we all know someone who either had it, has it, or died from it right? I like hearing the stories to be honest, not those about the children, but the stories of the fight people put up, their positive attitudes and brave outlooks on the illness and their situation. And the stories of success...Those that beat it...They are the best. Those people are changed forever. Like they have a new life and won't waste it.

When my mum was laying in the hospital palliative care unit the night before she died we sat with her, my wife, my sister, dad and myself. She couldn't speak and had trouble breathing. She was unrecognisable to me. She would have been in a lot of pain if it wasn't for the morphine and she wasn't long for this world. She knew it as did we. We were sitting around telling stories about our lives together, mostly about the three brothers of mine who were not there, and we all put on a brave face for my mum. 

She hadn't eaten for a long time but managed to indicate to us she wanted pizza (which of course she didn't eat). I think her reason was that she had fond memories of us kids sitting around having fun, talking shit and fucking around over pizza, as most families do. She wanted that memory to take with her I think. So that's what we did. The next morning she was gone. 

These days when I talk about my mum it's always positive, never negative, and I tell that story among others; The longer version of it, when it's relevant. My mum wasn't perfect or the best mum, that's for sure, but every time I speak about her it's positive. **THAT'S** what I like about cancer stories. They are tragic, yes. However, they can also have a lot of positivity within them. 

There are a few on this platform who are currently openly dealing with cancer on a personal level and I wish them the best in their fight against that most cruel of illnesses. Come to think of it there are many who suffer through challenges of many different natures on this platform. Thinking about this always makes me value life more though. It makes me want to be a better me, to treat other's just that bit better and to value what, and who, I have around me more. Adversity does that to a person I think, the smart ones anyway. 

It makes me think of some lyrics from a song I like:

>May we all do a little bit better than the first time
Learn a little something from the worst times
Get a little stronger from the hurt times
May we all get to have a chance to ride the fast one
Walk away wiser when we crashed one
Keep hoping that the best one is the last one
Yeah you learn to fly and if you can't then you just free-fall

The song is called *May we all* by Florida Georgia Line and Tim Mcgraw and below is a video of it. Sure, it's country music and many people hate that so don't listen...But if you do maybe it might light a spark in you to remember that life is tough, unfair at times and yet...All we have. Finding positive, in other's and in ourselves is free to do and can make a difference to those other's and certainly to ourselves. Anyway, that's all. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT4ryVop_Fc

Sunset image taken at Semaphore, South Australia, by me.