Driving into Life

The birth of "Driving to Life" occurred early on the morning of Jay's first surgery.   As I hurried around the house making last minute preparations a memory floated through my mind.  In this memory we were driving Ryan down to the MTC (missionary training center--this is where he would begin his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, soon to be preaching in California for 2 years).  The car was packed with family members, the mood represented that of a funeral.  Although we knew this was the greatest journey  he could have chosen our hearts were already missing him.  What should have been one of the happiest journeys was quickly becoming heartache.  Ryan broke the silence and lightened the mood by saying, "I think you are all feeling that you are driving me to my death." 

 

As my mind caught hold of this memory I noticed how this story parallels Jay's cancer journey.  We could choose to focus on the pain (it is loud, it is all encompassing, it is nasty), or we could choose to focus on the gain: the learning, the joy, the knowledge of together forever, the peace.  This was a new thought with regard to cancer...this was a new beginning...this was a new birth...I realized we weren't driving to death---WE ARE DRIVING TO LIFE!