Most people know this. Certainly authors know this. Readers know this.
My mother is coming up on a full year breast cancer free. (I understand the term remission is out of fashion with doctors these days.) I have a friend who's mother is looking at quite a few years more than that. I have two co-workers, one still in treatment who are survivors. And a net friend going up against a battle. And then there is the other list, the list of folks I know who's battle has ended.
Marjorie M. Liu found this quote from Grace Paley, who lost her own battle this week:
Whatever your calling is, whether it's as a plumber or an artist, you have to make sure there's a little more justice in the world when you leave it than when you found it. Most writers do that naturally, see that more lives are illuminated, try to understand what is not understood and see what hasn't been seen.
Alison Kent* is going to buy a copy of Coming Together for the Cure, an anthology from which proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation - one for every ten comments (up to 250). Then she is going give away copies. So, go comment. And maybe buy the book anyway. Or donate. Or knit something pink. Whatever makes sense for you.
*I can't recall now where I first heard about this, so apologies if it was from you.
Rants About New (and old) Things
