“Last Friday, while at the grocery store, a woman and I began to discuss the selection of sushi. In the middle of her statement, she paused. I was wearing a sleeveless jumpsuit and she noticed my port scar from chemo.
She proceeded to ask, ‘Not to intrude, but I noticed your scar. How long has it been?’ I was surprised by her question, not because I felt it to be invasive, but because I sometimes forget about my scar.
‘Oh, since chemo? Ummm…February 2019? Yeah, that’s right. It’s funny you noticed. Most people have no idea what the scar represents.’
She responded, ‘My daughter had to go through chemo and she has the scar now. But you are right – unless it happens to you or someone you know, you never notice.’
She then asked if she could hug me to which I accepted. She told me she was happy I was still alive, and her daughter was improving, even pregnant with her second child. I shared in her excitement and then she gave her suggestion on which sushi to buy and we went our separate ways.
Now many things can be taken away from this brief conversation. It reminded me that although I’m not where I want to be, I am better than I once was. I have been in a funk for several months because I could not go to school in the Netherlands this year. However, I am still alive, working towards my goals, and not sick from chemo like I was just 2.5 years ago.
So thank you, lady in Kroger. The quick chat has inspired me to show gratitude for where I am now and optimism for where I can be in the near future.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Mariah A. Crenshaw of Louisville, KY. You can follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook. Submit your own story here and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.
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