[2023-05-03] Well of Strength
As I reflected on the many comments I received yesterday and today in response to my 1,000th post, I began to notice a common theme, exemplified by statements such as these:
"We never know when we take a first step where it will lead."
"To be able to give others solace and hope from the pain you’ve experienced is a magical contribution."
"You're making a huge difference in my life."
"Your blog has been an inspiration to me that we are stronger than we think."
"I appreciated your posts before I was diagnosed with cancer, but when I started my own journey, Jenesis became a resource for me. It’s like a stream of your consciousness that your readers can follow and take what they need or share with you their stories. Thank you for writing."
The theme that emerged in my mind was this: there are times when we contribute to the greater good and times when we draw from the greater good. I have done both—sometimes at the same time—for almost three years. While Jenesis readers may see the positive contribution I've made through my blog, they may not realize just how much I've taken from the good that they and others have shared with me personally or simply put out to the world for all to benefit from.
You will never know just how much support I took from all of you. Your strength sustained and restored me.
In an exchange with a friend today about the healing power of Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman," I wrote, "It's amazing where we draw strength in times of trouble." The analogy of a Well of Strength came to mind. As opposed to a personal bucket that each of us has (as I wrote about in How full is your bucket?), a Well of Strength is a community asset. Sometimes we contribute to the well—through acts of kindness, honest work, positive parenting, service, art—and sometimes we take from the well. In either case, we are better for it.
In another communication, I told a friend, "In both public ways and private ways, I am using my experience to help others, and that is the biggest silver lining one could ever hope to find in this thing called cancer." When I took that first step, a thousand days ago, to write down and share my experience with ovarian cancer, I had no idea where it would lead.
In the same way, individuals who put beauty into the world often have no idea of the people who benefit from their gift. It may feel like but one drop in the well, but each addition—however tiny—joins with the positivity contributed by others to make the Well of Strength a source of good for the entire community.
