Hooooos Cancer????

Michael and I don't speak of this cancer as something that is Michael's.  We only say that Michael has a cancer diagnosis.  That seems to separate it all out to where it belongs.  Michael is healthy.  He happens to have some lymph nodes that are doing some wild things.  The doctors call that lymphoma.  It is their label for these nodes that have inspired Michael to do all he can - more than ever before - to be as healthy as possible.

Yesterday evening, we drove to one of our favorite open space parks because our friends were going to meet us there to lead us to this year's owl nest.  We have watched owl nests together for many years.  Owls have not been on my mind this year, but my friend, D, found an occupied nest yesterday, and we couldn't decline her offer of a proper introduction to Mrs. Owl.

There had been a quick, spring shower shortly before we got to the park.  The air was open-your-lungs-fresh, and the sky was the color of coffee loaded with cream.  We never saw another person on our trek to the nest, while we stood oooohing and ahhhhing at Momma Owl, or on our way back to our cars.  It was almost like we were out in the wilds and at one with the miracles of itty bitty baby owls and the winds that were blowing in our faces.  I felt happy.  I felt free.  The diagnosis only belonged in the minds of some far-off doctors.  Even when Michael talked about the diagnosis with our friends, the cancer truly, truly wasn't his.

And still, we will tend to it.