Order of the Red Guard

E-mail to my support group this morning

Hello everyone'

I trust you are all healthy and happy.

The magic time is almost here. The 'holidays' hasten down upon us and I am sure there are those who will be most ecstatic by their delivery. Some of us will despair at the subtraction of time and clarity brought about by self inflected aspirations brought about by society. It is hard I know, but try to find a moment to stop and reflect, give thanks and revel in the thought of a new beginning.

Halloween is upon us this weekend. The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year". Also see All Saints for those interested. I see it as a celebration of toil and perseverance. October of the year of our Lord 2006 was when I received the dreaded news of my physical aliment. That was three (3) years ago. With no small thanks to each and every one of you. Both here an now, amongst us; and those who have passed on to a better realm. I have made it this far and I am now of a mind to die at a much older age than I am and of nothing more important or earth shacking than boredom. Take that Cancer. I deplore and loathe you; I have toiled and persevered. I endeavor to live.

Don't blink my friends. Thanksgiving is in your headlights and will be a most welcomed perceived odor and time to make hearth with family. I so miss the ability to smell and eat. Blessed are all of you who can partake in the wonderful ceremony of breaking bread. I will give thanks with a syringe as most will use knife and fork. Know that I am as thankful for that syringe and 'can of manna' as any pilgrim could every be. As I am thankful for all of you. You all give me pause. You all are a source of inspiration and diligent love. Thank you.

As to the observance of the birth of your Lord; I respectfully leave that unto each of you as you and your house see fit. Be bold and respectful of your truth and faith. Be at peace and joyful in a manner that most keeps your heart happy and your soul at ease.

And, (hehehe; I love playing with the English language) And, that leaves us with the observance of the promise of wonder an beauty an excitement of things to come. It has been said that it is never to early to look forward.---

--- I am always happy to have new and wonderful members come to visit and join our family. With a tip of my top hat to Mr. Moore; our 'League of Extraordinary Survivors'. I enjoy and look forward with anticipation to meet, greet and learn of your journey. I pray that I am forgiven for this trespass. I know I should be saddened by the perverse and hideous cause of our meeting; I am sorry that you have been compelled to be a part of this location at this time. However, I am emboldened by your presence and I enjoin in your toil with your yoke. Know that all of you which are new to this most extraordinary support group give both tears and hugs without question nor judgment. If you are new to us, be at peace for you are in the right place.

Wow, I almost made it without a nod to history, but alas, I fall pray to that monster in my mind. I will attempt to make this one short. ( I promise)

I want to stop and think of Tran Hung Dao and introduce you to the General who never lost a battle. General Trần Hưng Đạo's military brilliance and prowess is reflected in his many treatises on warfare and he is considered one of the most accomplished generals in world history. He never lost a battle; much less the war. As Kublai Khan came roaring through the Kingdom of Đại Việt (in northern Vietnam), his army happened upon someone who gave toil to the art of perseverance. Tran Hung Dao knew that he and his people had to survive. He knew that the toil would be great, the task hard but the rewards, oh, the rewards would be life. He never lost. He came up with a way to fight an overwhelming foe and win. His story reminds me of all of you. In my mind he is the source of what D&D refers to as the 'Order of the Red Guard'. One that is so respected in fight that armies many times in sheer size have been know to flee upon the mere presence of one Guard being on the side of the opposition.

We, each of you are in this order. The Order of the Red Guard. You are all dissident from Tran Hung Dao, the General who never lost. Be earnest in your fight. Be thankful in your victory. Look forward to a future where our numbers know No new conscripts.

I love you all and I look forward to seeing and greeting those who will be attending of gathering and I and thoughtful of those who are distant and unable to be with us. Please know and rejoice in my 3^rd anniversary of struggle, enjoy your tradition of Holiday and look forward to your New Year. Don't hide your head ostrich, it's tugging at us all. Try and enjoy this period. For those of you who struggle with the 'Holiday Blues'; never think you struggle alone. Reach out to any member you trust. Never feel you have to fight alone. Any of us will be happy to share your plight and conflict with cancer or any obstacle you have variance with.

Be strong, because Cancer sucks.

PS. as promised, I kept the story of Tran Hung Dao short and most abridged. Please, at your leisure, look into this most extraordinary life and his amazing story. It is most fascinating and encouraging.