Hello Friends

(There’s an explanation for the fuzzy photo, read on.)

I’ve been under the radar for a few months, as I navigate this journey with breast cancer. Here’s a quick update before I disappear again.

I’m happy to announce that I’m finished all my treatments, and I’m officially no longer a “cancer patient” in the mainstream medical system. It’s been an intense time and, looking back, it’s hard to even remember how difficult some of it was. The diagnosis was shocking, and I felt overwhelmed and vulnerable. I had to dig deep, and to lean into all my support systems (including you, my online world) to find the energy to make it through.

But I’m through. There will be ongoing monitoring, of course, but now my energy can turn towards deeper, more holistic and systemic healing practices and lifestyle changes. The worst of the storm has passed, and I feel free, happy, and able to face what life brings me
again.

There’s a profound sense that this huge chapter of my life is ending, and I’m not at all sure what the next chapter will look like. Who is “Sarah After Cancer”? I am no longer who I was, and I’m not yet who I will be. It’s both uncomfortable, and exciting.

As I teach my clients and students, there’s nothing like a brush with mortality to make you re-evaluate everything in your life, and to focus on what’s really important. Before life starts rolling again, I have an opportunity to re-make myself, and to decide how I really want to live. What actions and practices are most true to my soul? I don’t know any of the answers yet, but I’m incredibly grateful to have the chance to explore the questions.

I have an exciting opportunity to give this new me a chance to emerge. As I write this, My Sweetie and I are sitting in the airport, headed to a sweet beach town in Mexico for two months. The goal is to find a warm, inspiring, nurturing space to regroup and reimagine ourselves. We’re going to eat mangoes, meditate, walk on the beach, and do yoga. Stephen is wonderful company, and this trip is just the medicine I need right now.

Now about the photo… We’re travelling very light and low budget, and decided to simplify things and leave our big phones at home. I bought a small, inexpensive old phone and was totally pleased with the purchase. I’m logging out of Facebook for the trip, and have put auto responders on my email. Why would I need a fancy phone? For the camera, that’s why! I tested everything else on the phone except the camera, and you can see how good it is. I guess I’m going to be even more screen-less than I thought. Perhaps it’s the world telling me to slow down and smell the roses.

I’ll be going back to radio silence while I’m gone, but look forward to connecting again when I return (just don’t expect any photos!)

Thanks so much for all your warm support on my journey, it’s meant the world to me to have so many wonderful people on my healing team.

I’ll be sending you warm thoughts from Mexico.

Much love,
Sarah