Publications
Brain cancer is a huge thing. It’s not something I’d come across often – until the past two years.
But now I know three people who were diagnosed with tumours. A colleague recently mentioned someone in their social circle had it, a few months ago we wrote about a 26-year-old woman who’s trying to survive it and celebrity Nick Cannon recently lost his five-month-old son to it – unimaginable in a life so new.
I’ve been thinking about it a lot as I look back on this year. Covid has taken so many lives, but there was also cancer and other diseases, and things known only to fate that affected so many of us.
I’ve never been a bucket list kind of girl and I tend to do things without any clear path or pattern, being moved only by things that interest me in the moment, and assuming there’s lots of time to do everything else at some point.
But last year taught me that I shouldn’t take time for granted and this year has just cemented it. And so I ask you: what would you do if you knew you had only a limited time left?
Could you, and would you, take the plunge and tell that special someone you loved them?
What would the world look like if you quit your job to pursue a passion? Or apply for that job for which you know you have only 50% of the required skills?
How would it feel to indulge in the chocolate, drink the wine, eat the cake every so often?
What would it feel like to take naps every day, sometimes two?
Would you get those bangs, shave your hair or add a purple streak?
Where would you go that you know would be a pick-me-up? And who would you go with?
How would it be to walk the dog for more than just a quick outing, start an ant farm, get an iguana?
What would happen if you learn to do yoga or Pilates or watch a video on how to just breathe?
What would you put on your list of Top 5 things that make me happy?
What would be on your list of Top 5 things that make me sad? And what could you do to scratch some of them from that list?
What would happen if you buy a karaoke machine and invite some people over – the ones you know would belt out even harder than you?
What would it be like to have an Easter egg hunt, to dress up as Santa or to put in serious effort for a costume to go trick-or-treating?
Would you learn to paint, write a novel, start a YouTube channel or TikTok account?
How would it feel to take a dip in the ocean, feel the warm sand between your toes, and feel the kiss of the sun as melting ice cream gives you sticky fingers on a summer’s day?
What books would you read? What films would you watch? What albums would you listen to that would bring you joy?
What would be the small things you celebrate every day? And how would you celebrate the big things?
What would be the wildest, funnest, bestest thing to do that once seemed simply impossible?
Who could you be?
There are so many more questions to add to this list. And so little time.
I suppose the most pressing one for me now is: how are you going to use your time in 2022? Definitely something to think about as this year draws to a close.
I hope it’s given you food for thought too and that 2022 is a better year than this one was – and that you end it without any regrets.
