Are you trying to be as human as you can be?

Do I wither up and disappear, or do I make the best of my time left?

Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?

Now that I'm suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer more than I ever did before. The other night, on TV, I saw people in Bosnia running across the street, getting fired upon, killed, innocent victims....and I just started to cry. I feel their anguish as if it were my own. I don't know any of these people. But - how can I put this? I'm almost......drawn to them.

Acceptance is not a talent you either have or don't have. It's a learned response. My meditation teacher made a great point about the difference between a reaction and a response: You may not have control over your initial reaction to something, but you can decide what your response will be. You don't have to be at the mercy of your emotions, and acceptance can be your first step toward empowerment . . . For me, acceptance has been the cornerstone to my having an emotionally healthy response to my illness.

I believe in being fully present. That means you should be with the person you’re with.

Keep your heart open for as long as you can, as wide as you can, for others and especially for yourself.