I've had some dark nights of the soul, of course, but giving in to depression would be a sellout, a defeat.

Cancer victimhood contains a permanent temptation to be self-centred and even solipsistic.

If you want to stay in for the long haul, and lead a life that is free from illusions either propagated by you or embraced by you, then I suggest you learn to recognize and avoid the symptoms of the zealot and the person who knows he is right. For the dissenter, the skeptical mentality is at least as important as any armor of principle.

I think I write in a fairly self-confident manner.

It's called faith because it's not knowledge.

My chief consolation in this year of living dyingly has been the presence of friends.

What if I pulled through and the pious faction contentedly claimed that their prayers had been answered? That would somehow be irritating.