My Personal Thanksgiving

Share my blog

It was twelve years ago today ~ October 31st 2000 ~ that my life changed forever ~ as I heard those fearfully dreaded words, “You’ve got Cancer.”

First the shock, then the denial and then the reality that I am going to have to learn to live with it.

Well here I am today twelve years later and living a wonderful and blessed life in spite of having cancer.

Today, October 31st 2012, I invite you all to share with me as I Celebrate “12 Years in Remission.” I am not celebrating getting cancer ~ I am Celebrating Being Alive ~ being a Cancer Survivor.

Being the optimist that I am, I had to turn living with cancer into a positive experience and so had to find the gifts that it brought with it:

Steve & I Crossing the Finish Line of the Rock n Roll Marathon    5 Days after Completing 6 months of Chemotherapy June 2001

A conscious awareness that life is fragile and only loaned to us for awhile, so I live each day as if it were my last. This allows me to enjoy every day to the fullest, to love the people in my life that mean the most to me ~ my family and friends. I am also thankful for the new people that come into my life and the opportunities that I am given each day to help others, to make a difference in someone’s life, to have a positive impact in my community, my country, maybe even the world.

My Joshua and Jonathan with Me at London Heathrow Airport

Living  life  with  the  attitude  of  gratitude  and being thankful for all of the blessings in my life. I thank G-d when I wake up in the morning for a new day, and at night for a great day, for my good health, for the strength and energy to live my life “to the max.” To continue to watch our sons grow up into amazing young men. To be at their weddings ~ Jonathan & Elizabeth were married February 26, 2011 and will soon be talking about having children, our grandchildren and I look forward to being at Joshua’s wedding in the future and more grandchildren. To watch them turn their dreams into reality as Steve and I have done over the past 32 years.

Joshua, Maxine, Liz and Jonathan

Our life is a story, our story made up of many memories that we create along the way. The more memories, the fuller the story. I am working towards creating a big book, please G-D.

A Family Cruise on the Love Boat

But all we really have is “Right Now” and I am “Thankful” for one more day to see the sun rise, to love my husband, my sons, my daughter-in-law, my parents, all of my family and my friends, to sing my favorite prayers, to see the leaves change colour, to see the sunset, to feel loved by all, to feel peace in the world. To experience one more of “Max’s Magical Moments.”

My Boys ~ Joshua, Steve, Jonathan with Me
Steve, Joshua, Jonathan and My Dad
My Brother-in- Law Larry, Me,  Steve & My Sister Susie in Las Vegas

Here’s to all of us Living Life to the Fullest ~ Loving Many People ~ and Laughing A Lot every day!

Me with My Boys Joshua & Jonathan

0 thoughts on “My Personal Thanksgiving

  1. Your words meant a lot to me Max. I will lift my glass of vegetable /fruit juice and toast L’chaim to you in celebration of your 12th year in remission TG and to celebrate
    you Max. I think you are inspiring! .
    Thank you Max. Love and Hugs, Sheri

  2. Congrats,keep in touch.Great to hear from you.I have some pics I found at my moms house(still trying to get it cleaned out and ready to sell)of our parents together.Ill try and remember to grab one and email it to you.                    Take care  Chuck Dobovsky xx

Leave a Reply to Sheri Katz Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.