Category: Memoir

Tomorrow

Posted on by Dr. Bonnie Winfield in Breast Cancer, Buddhism, inspiration, Memoir

Tomorrow:  it don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing

Dogen tells us “The Way is never separated from where we are now.” But we can separate ourselves from where we are now. Then we can’t act, but only react. And we react to our principles, our ideas, and we get tight and rigid, and we lose that swing.
Village Zendo Journal October 18

Tomorrow is my last treatment for breast cancer.  As I described in a previous entry, I have had four different types of treatment: chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and Hercepton, the latter being the longest—52 treatments.  Tomorrow after more than a year of weekly blood tests, infusions, weigh-ins, I will be free to spend my Mondays at work or at play, which ever I choose.  Although, most likely, it will be work! Continue reading “Tomorrow” →

A Firm Persuasion

Posted on by Dr. Bonnie Winfield in Breast Cancer, Buddhism, inspiration, Memoir

When we emerge from a descent through the valley of the shadow of death, and recover from the ordeal of such an illness, the body has survived. The soul questions come next:
• What will grow out of this experience?
• How will this change my life?
• What purpose might it serve?
• How may it contribute to having a life of significant soil?”

Jean Shinoda Bolen, “Close to the Bone”

Bolen’s book Close to the Bone has become like holy scripture to me during my cancer treatments. It’s sub-title; “Life-Threatening Illness and the Search for Meaning” has become my mission in a way. The book, once new, now after eight months of reading and re-reading has tattered edges, ink and pencil comments, red, yellow and blue sticky tabs, and a few green tea stains! It has become like the Velveteen Rabbit, worn but loved and definitely real. Continue reading “A Firm Persuasion” →

Grandmothers

Posted on by Dr. Bonnie Winfield in Memoir, Uncategorized

“When a child is born, so are grandmothers.”
~Judith Levye

The official date is December 23rd. That is the birthday of little Elle, my granddaughter. However, for me it was January 2nd, when I turned around at the baggage area in the Boston airport and first set my eyes on the little angel in the stroller pushed by my son, John. That was the moment that I fell in love at first sight with Elle and became a grandmother. Continue reading “Grandmothers” →

Little Acts of Kindness

Posted on by Dr. Bonnie Winfield in Buddhism, inspiration, Memoir, Uncategorized

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,
a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,
all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~Leo Buscaglia

I recently read that the task of life is to understand our minds and perform acts of kindness. I have been the recipient of kindnesses recently and would like to express my gratitude and share a few of them with you. Continue reading “Little Acts of Kindness” →