Thursday, September 29, 2011

Little Miss Magic


Because of the internet, I have been introduced to amazing people. I know, I know. I say this all the time: The one good thing about all of this melanoma hellishness is the wonderful people I have been met. There are certain people who send me funny text messages to keep me laughing during chemo. Others read between the lines of what I am writing and send me very thoughtful messages that give me a totally different way of looking at a situation. Overall, my melanoma family does one huge thing for me: They provide me with friendship.

Today was a normal day....I took my lunch break at my new job (yeah, yeah. I know I need to update you all on my personal life. Soon, I promise.) and started scanning Facebook on my phone. I received an email telling me that my buddy Rich and Carol had both left me comments encouraging me. Since I have been feeling like a bit of a slacker in the melanoma awareness area, I was unsure why the support was coming my way today. 

I noticed I had some emails.....

My sweet friend Rev. Carol randomly posted this on my Facebook wall today:

 "We're not made of steel, but we're strong. We may cry until no tears are left but we don't get so soggy that we dissolve into nothing. We may crack under the strain and pressure but we don't disintegrate into millions of pieces that can't be put back together. Our hearts may break but we give them to God and say "Here." We are people who have melanoma in life but life isn't melanoma. We are people who are determined to fight because life is worth it. We are people of faith who know our God is greater than our melanoma. Whatever life and death holds, we trust God and not the beast; we run into the fight not away from it; we run the race knowing that by running, we win. We cannot win if we sit on the sidelines. We are warriors. Warriors never sit on the sidelines."

Beautiful, right? It gave me chills just reading it.
I thought, huh, that was a random wonderful message.


Then I went to Rich's blog to see his latest blog post he mentioned on Facebook. As most of you know, Rich uses his blog to promote melanoma awareness by taking popular songs and changing the lyrics to describe an experience. Like I have said 100 times, I love it. It is funny and brutally honest. I don't even know what to say. I have been fairly quiet lately...I have been out living my life again...I haven't been a great melanoma awareness warrior. For his latest blog, Rich used good ol' Jimmy Buffett's song Little Miss Magic. Reading Rich's blog flattered me, humbled me, and shocked me. Let me share it with you. (To see actual blog post click here.)

Constantly amazed by the wisdom she shows in her writing
The clever life lessons she gives us can't help but be inciting
She loves to lay into fools with her bloggin’
Says that tanning ages foolish skin
She is my bloggin’ friend

I learn a little more from her everyday
I catch a little more courage on my way
Your parents must be quite proud of the fighter they see
Bloggin’ Miss Magic, what you gonna be?

Sometimes I read her dreamin' and wonder where that finer mind meanders
Is she strollin' along the Shore or cruisin' o'er her broad Virginia
I know this day she yearns to make up for lost times
This day she's gonna take off and fly
Oh that you can’t deny

I catch a little more courage that’s comin' my way
I see those new post lines just start to makin’ our day
Your parents must be quite proud of the woman they see
Bloggin’ Miss Magic, what you gonna be?

Yes she loves to lay into fools with her bloggin’
Says that UV ages foolish skin
She is my wise pale friend

Constantly amazed by the wisdom she shows in her writing
Those clever life lessons she gives us can't help but be inciting
I know this day she yearns to make up for lost times
This day she's gonna take off and fly
That you can’t deny

I learn a little more from her everyday
I catch a little more courage on my way
Your parents must be quite proud of the fighter they see
Bloggin’ Miss Magic, what you gonna be?
Bloggin’ Miss Magic, what you gonna be?
Bloggin’ Miss Magic, just can't wait to see

You’re reigning, you’re soaring
This old man gets boring.
     ~Rich


My first thought---after I wiped the eyeliner that had smeared over my face--was that I wish I am as wonderful and brave as he sees me as being. My second thought was that I really, really do feel grateful that I have people in my life that believe in me. I am--without a doubt--incredibly lucky.




(And Rich, I couldn't be even close to Little Miss Magic
without people like you.
Thank you.)

*All photos found on Pinterest.

4 comments:

Becca said...

That's because we all know what a pistol you are, and if anyone can shake some sense into these sororities, it's you. You're their age, maybe they'll listen. You're tenacious, you're loving, and you're relentless. I have faith in you. I think we all do. :)

Rich McDonald said...

Chelsea, thanks for your very nice post. I think Carol would agree with me in saying that "living your life" absolutely should be your highest priority. By all means, put the boyfriend, family, friends and work at the center of your life-- your melanoma awareness campaigning needn't consume all your time and energy to continue to be quite effective! Take care.

Kate said...

Although I'm not a fellow Melanoma Warrior, I somehow stumbled on your blog and have been here ever since....behind you all the way!! Live your life and let melanoma take a back seat! It doesn't need to be central to everything in your world in order for you to have a huge impact on the world. Because of you I got my first head to toe skin check and just got a huge dysplastic junctional nevus removed. :) So thanks for that.

Rich McDonald said...

Thought you'd like to know that my blog post for you has received 71 pageviews-- a LOT more than I usually get. Pretty strong evidence that you are having an impact! Take care.