You only live once.

I was visiting with a young brain cancer patient at the hospital the other day. A candy basket was passed around the Play Room where she was waiting to see the doctor. We were doing a craft project together.

She looked in the candy basket and spotted a mini Nestle Crunch bar. “Oh, boy! Those are my favorite!”, she exclaimed. I said, “I love those too.” She asked if I wanted one. I said, “I don’t know. It’s candy and I have lunch soon. Maybe I shouldn’t.” (Also thinking of the calories…) That seemed silly in the face of the sickness so evident in this young girl. So I said, “Should I?” She replied, without hesitation, “You only live once, Catherine.” Wow! Maybe that’s a lesson we can all learn…to live in the moment. Enjoy life as it is. Find the little joys wherever you find them.

I thank her for inspiring me to count my blessings.

Catherine Lepone, Executive Director, Making Headway Foundation