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Robynn,

You need to Fed-Ex the soup to Fort Worth, Texas. Better yet wait till

next week and send it to Durham. Or you could wait until November and we'll have

it in Florida at the reunion. I really appreciate your kindness my dear friend.

Maybe we need to send some to Trish.

Bye,

Genz

Byne wrote:

> Genz, where are you, in FLA or do I need to fed-ex, I am sending you kisses

> to heal your knee. XXXXOOOOXXXX!

> Robynn

>

> Re: I Have A Question?

>

> > Hi Robynn,

> > It's me Genz...I need chicken soup. I was at Bob's last

> night and

> > Trish came up behind me and pushed me up the steps and made me fall on my

> bad knees.

> > Then when I turned around she had already run away. I can't believe how

> mean she is,

> > can you?

> >

> > Bummed Knees,

> > Genz

> >

> > RUSSELL BYNE wrote:

> >

> > > Ok, who needs chicken soup?

> > > Robynn

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > >

> > > > aaaaaaw hugs !!!!!

> > > >

> > > > smootgen@... wrote:

> > > > >

> > > > > Trish,

> > > > > I can't go to bed, I hurt too bad. I went to Bob's

> Texas The

> > > > > World's Largest Honkey Tonk with my youngest daughter Tenneil. She

> sings out

> > > > > there on Tuesday nights.

> > > > > Well, I was going up about four little steps carrying a full glass

> of tea

> > > > > and the rubber sole of my shoe caught the edge of the step and I

> fell full

> > > > > force on to both knees landing in a kneeling (praying) position. All

> 245 lbs

> > > > > of my fat butt landed on my bad knees.

> > > >

> > >

> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> > > > Best friends, most artistic, class clown Find 'em here:

> > > > http://click.egroups.com/1/4054/2/_/453517/_/959164528/

> > >

> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> > > >

> > > > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at

> Onelist.com

> > > > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net

> > > > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm

> > >

> > > ________________________________________________

> > > PeoplePC: It's for people. And it's just smart.

> > > http://www.peoplepc.com

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> > > Old school buds here:

> > > http://click.egroups.com/1/4057/2/_/453517/_/959200624/

> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> > >

> > > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com

> > > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net

> > > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> > Failed tests, classes skipped, forgotten locker combinations.

> > Remember the good 'ol days

> > http://click.egroups.com/1/4053/2/_/453517/_/959206570/

> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com

> > Please visit our web site at http://clos.net

> > Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm

> >

> >

> >

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Best friends, most artistic, class clown Find 'em here:

> http://click.egroups.com/1/4054/2/_/453517/_/959219475/

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> This message is from the Mini-Gastric Bypass Mailing List at Onelist.com

> Please visit our web site at http://clos.net

> Get the Patient Manual at http://clos.net/get_patient_manual.htm

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Guest guest

Girl friend,

Trish has been shoppunhg so that she can live up to her bad reputation, I

wish I could be there when Dr. R. and Trash finally meet, she is planning on

being unforgettable.

How is your knee honey, are you feeling better?

Robynn

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  • 5 years later...

What a great thing to share.

Nonnie

Chicken Soup

Finding My Passion

By Lyn

I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I lost it,

but in the process of dying, I found it again.

My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and achieving. I

thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel better about being me.

I wanted desperately to please everyone . . . family, bosses, neighbors,

people I didn't like. It hardly mattered who they were; other people's

approval and validation were the source of my self-esteem. " Looking good "

was my daily regime, and I was incredibly good at it. I continually quested

for greater and greater accomplishments because those proved my value to the

outside world.

This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work was a

series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I never offended

anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to keep because I was

afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of stress. By constantly

reacting to outside circumstances rather than taking charge of my life, I

felt victimized and I lived in fear that " they " - whoever " they " were -

would suddenly discover I was incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest

woman in my company to hold an executive position and became director of

corporate communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my

concern. Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer, achieve more.

I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing. I left the corporate

world knowing that being independent would change everything. Ironically, I

became a career consultant and taught people how to look good and be aware

of what others expected of them. I knew all about that.

Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees because I

feared no one would use my services. Instead of being driven by the demands

of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my clients. I couldn't understand

why I was financially struggling and assumed the answer was to simply make

more money. So the cycle escalated as I decided to increase my marketing

and promotion efforts even more. When I burned out and grew discontented

with no improvement in my income, I decided there was something

intrinsically wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still empty.

So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving. What did

it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And terribly afraid.

Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder cancer and

the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be traced back for

three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a blacksmith and was not

gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he removed the largest tumor he

had ever taken from a bladder and announced we would be doing another

surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see what was left. " This is a fun guy.

The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to live, and

that had a number of implications. I gained immediate clarity about what

was important and began focusing on becoming well. I changed my diet,

discovered herbs, explored holistic healing and learned what it meant to

take care of myself.

Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what am I

doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else want and

how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved with the

changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what was in my heart.

This was not an easy process, since I had spent my whole life looking

outside for answers. I was so accustomed to ferreting out what other people

wanted from me, I had no idea who I was.

I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest for

living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly comprises

life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had never really lived.

In fact, there had been no " life " in my life. As a result of this

awareness, passion became my reason for living. I committed myself to it

wholly and completely!

No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily purpose was

to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked on the beach,

discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes that wouldn't make

me a " better " person and read books I had wanted to read for years. I made

a list of things I wanted to do before I died (whenever that might be) and

as I did them, the list just grew. Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment

were ends in themselves. I wanted to fully experience and live every moment

I had left. I could wait no longer.

I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to produce

better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how my future was

going to unfold; I just continued exploring and expressing my passion on a

daily basis. I now know the sheer force of this commitment produced

miracles.

By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in and no one

was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But some of my old

clients began calling and asking if I would do career coaching in my home.

Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I said yes, but my consulting

took a new turn. I talked about the cancer and my commitment to living a

passionate life; I thought they might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted

to hear more, and I began conducting groups. By the end of the first year

working in my living room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more

money than I had any other year in my career. After all those years of

working and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew

I had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced it.

The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since 1987. My

doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual checkups, he always

comments on how well I have healed. Apparently, there are not even any

remaining indications of the surgery. Is this the result of a commitment to

passion? While I cannot prove it to you, I don't doubt it. I believe

passion is the strongest force in the universe and that it is a magnet for

all one's good-happiness, power, joy, abundance and health. You know how

exhilarating it can be to be around a group of passionate people. It

produces a euphoric energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the

brain. Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to living. Today

I bring as much life to living as possible. It has also become my

livelihood. I built an organization called The Career Clinic, which has

helped well over a thousand people heal their relationship with work through

discovering their passions and purpose in life. Passion is not for the

lucky or the talented; it is the fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to give it away

by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude and joy.

Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken Soup for

the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Aubery,

Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart. In order

please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome; page 2

Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

---------------------------------

Yahoo! for Good

Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great thing to share.

Nonnie

Chicken Soup

Finding My Passion

By Lyn

I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I lost it,

but in the process of dying, I found it again.

My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and achieving. I

thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel better about being me.

I wanted desperately to please everyone . . . family, bosses, neighbors,

people I didn't like. It hardly mattered who they were; other people's

approval and validation were the source of my self-esteem. " Looking good "

was my daily regime, and I was incredibly good at it. I continually quested

for greater and greater accomplishments because those proved my value to the

outside world.

This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work was a

series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I never offended

anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to keep because I was

afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of stress. By constantly

reacting to outside circumstances rather than taking charge of my life, I

felt victimized and I lived in fear that " they " - whoever " they " were -

would suddenly discover I was incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest

woman in my company to hold an executive position and became director of

corporate communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my

concern. Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer, achieve more.

I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing. I left the corporate

world knowing that being independent would change everything. Ironically, I

became a career consultant and taught people how to look good and be aware

of what others expected of them. I knew all about that.

Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees because I

feared no one would use my services. Instead of being driven by the demands

of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my clients. I couldn't understand

why I was financially struggling and assumed the answer was to simply make

more money. So the cycle escalated as I decided to increase my marketing

and promotion efforts even more. When I burned out and grew discontented

with no improvement in my income, I decided there was something

intrinsically wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still empty.

So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving. What did

it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And terribly afraid.

Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder cancer and

the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be traced back for

three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a blacksmith and was not

gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he removed the largest tumor he

had ever taken from a bladder and announced we would be doing another

surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see what was left. " This is a fun guy.

The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to live, and

that had a number of implications. I gained immediate clarity about what

was important and began focusing on becoming well. I changed my diet,

discovered herbs, explored holistic healing and learned what it meant to

take care of myself.

Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what am I

doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else want and

how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved with the

changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what was in my heart.

This was not an easy process, since I had spent my whole life looking

outside for answers. I was so accustomed to ferreting out what other people

wanted from me, I had no idea who I was.

I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest for

living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly comprises

life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had never really lived.

In fact, there had been no " life " in my life. As a result of this

awareness, passion became my reason for living. I committed myself to it

wholly and completely!

No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily purpose was

to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked on the beach,

discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes that wouldn't make

me a " better " person and read books I had wanted to read for years. I made

a list of things I wanted to do before I died (whenever that might be) and

as I did them, the list just grew. Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment

were ends in themselves. I wanted to fully experience and live every moment

I had left. I could wait no longer.

I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to produce

better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how my future was

going to unfold; I just continued exploring and expressing my passion on a

daily basis. I now know the sheer force of this commitment produced

miracles.

By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in and no one

was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But some of my old

clients began calling and asking if I would do career coaching in my home.

Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I said yes, but my consulting

took a new turn. I talked about the cancer and my commitment to living a

passionate life; I thought they might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted

to hear more, and I began conducting groups. By the end of the first year

working in my living room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more

money than I had any other year in my career. After all those years of

working and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew

I had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced it.

The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since 1987. My

doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual checkups, he always

comments on how well I have healed. Apparently, there are not even any

remaining indications of the surgery. Is this the result of a commitment to

passion? While I cannot prove it to you, I don't doubt it. I believe

passion is the strongest force in the universe and that it is a magnet for

all one's good-happiness, power, joy, abundance and health. You know how

exhilarating it can be to be around a group of passionate people. It

produces a euphoric energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the

brain. Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to living. Today

I bring as much life to living as possible. It has also become my

livelihood. I built an organization called The Career Clinic, which has

helped well over a thousand people heal their relationship with work through

discovering their passions and purpose in life. Passion is not for the

lucky or the talented; it is the fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to give it away

by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude and joy.

Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken Soup for

the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Aubery,

Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart. In order

please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome; page 2

Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

---------------------------------

Yahoo! for Good

Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dianna, this is a wonderful story. So much sense in this. Thank you

so much for sharing this and giving me the oppertunity to read this.

Thank you, Ingrid

>

> Finding My Passion

> By Lyn

>

> I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I

lost it, but in the process of dying, I found it again.

> My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and

achieving. I thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel

better about being me. I wanted desperately to please everyone . . .

family, bosses, neighbors, people I didn't like. It hardly mattered

who they were; other people's approval and validation were the source

of my self-esteem. " Looking good " was my daily regime, and I was

incredibly good at it. I continually quested for greater and greater

accomplishments because those proved my value to the outside world.

> This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work

was a series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I

never offended anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to

keep because I was afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of

stress. By constantly reacting to outside circumstances rather than

taking charge of my life, I felt victimized and I lived in fear

that " they " - whoever " they " were - would suddenly discover I was

incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest woman in my company to

hold an executive position and became director of corporate

communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my concern.

Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

> The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer,

achieve more. I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing.

I left the corporate world knowing that being independent would

change everything. Ironically, I became a career consultant and

taught people how to look good and be aware of what others expected

of them. I knew all about that.

> Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees

because I feared no one would use my services. Instead of being

driven by the demands of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my

clients. I couldn't understand why I was financially struggling and

assumed the answer was to simply make more money. So the cycle

escalated as I decided to increase my marketing and promotion efforts

even more. When I burned out and grew discontented with no

improvement in my income, I decided there was something intrinsically

wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still

empty.

> So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving.

What did it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And

terribly afraid.

> Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder

cancer and the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be

traced back for three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a

blacksmith and was not gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he

removed the largest tumor he had ever taken from a bladder and

announced we would be doing another surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see

what was left. " This is a fun guy.

> The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to

live, and that had a number of implications. I gained immediate

clarity about what was important and began focusing on becoming

well. I changed my diet, discovered herbs, explored holistic healing

and learned what it meant to take care of myself.

> Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what

am I doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else

want and how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved

with the changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what

was in my heart. This was not an easy process, since I had spent my

whole life looking outside for answers. I was so accustomed to

ferreting out what other people wanted from me, I had no idea who I

was.

> I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest

for living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly

comprises life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had

never really lived. In fact, there had been no " life " in my life.

As a result of this awareness, passion became my reason for living.

I committed myself to it wholly and completely!

> No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily

purpose was to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked

on the beach, discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes

that wouldn't make me a " better " person and read books I had wanted

to read for years. I made a list of things I wanted to do before I

died (whenever that might be) and as I did them, the list just grew.

Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment were ends in themselves. I

wanted to fully experience and live every moment I had left. I could

wait no longer.

> I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to

produce better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how

my future was going to unfold; I just continued exploring and

expressing my passion on a daily basis. I now know the sheer force

of this commitment produced miracles.

> By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in

and no one was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But

some of my old clients began calling and asking if I would do career

coaching in my home. Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I

said yes, but my consulting took a new turn. I talked about the

cancer and my commitment to living a passionate life; I thought they

might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted to hear more, and I began

conducting groups. By the end of the first year working in my living

room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more money than I

had any other year in my career. After all those years of working

and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew I

had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced

it.

> The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since

1987. My doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual

checkups, he always comments on how well I have healed. Apparently,

there are not even any remaining indications of the surgery. Is this

the result of a commitment to passion? While I cannot prove it to

you, I don't doubt it. I believe passion is the strongest force in

the universe and that it is a magnet for all one's good—happiness,

power, joy, abundance and health. You know how exhilarating it can

be to be around a group of passionate people. It produces a euphoric

energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the brain.

Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

> For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to

living. Today I bring as much life to living as possible. It has

also become my livelihood. I built an organization called The Career

Clinic, which has helped well over a thousand people heal their

relationship with work through discovering their passions and purpose

in life. Passion is not for the lucky or the talented; it is the

fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

> Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to

give it away by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude

and joy.

>

> Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken

Soup for the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,

Patty Aubery, Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart.

In order

>

>

>

>

>

> please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome;

page 2 Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! for Good

> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dianna, this is a wonderful story. So much sense in this. Thank you

so much for sharing this and giving me the oppertunity to read this.

Thank you, Ingrid

>

> Finding My Passion

> By Lyn

>

> I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I

lost it, but in the process of dying, I found it again.

> My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and

achieving. I thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel

better about being me. I wanted desperately to please everyone . . .

family, bosses, neighbors, people I didn't like. It hardly mattered

who they were; other people's approval and validation were the source

of my self-esteem. " Looking good " was my daily regime, and I was

incredibly good at it. I continually quested for greater and greater

accomplishments because those proved my value to the outside world.

> This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work

was a series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I

never offended anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to

keep because I was afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of

stress. By constantly reacting to outside circumstances rather than

taking charge of my life, I felt victimized and I lived in fear

that " they " - whoever " they " were - would suddenly discover I was

incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest woman in my company to

hold an executive position and became director of corporate

communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my concern.

Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

> The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer,

achieve more. I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing.

I left the corporate world knowing that being independent would

change everything. Ironically, I became a career consultant and

taught people how to look good and be aware of what others expected

of them. I knew all about that.

> Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees

because I feared no one would use my services. Instead of being

driven by the demands of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my

clients. I couldn't understand why I was financially struggling and

assumed the answer was to simply make more money. So the cycle

escalated as I decided to increase my marketing and promotion efforts

even more. When I burned out and grew discontented with no

improvement in my income, I decided there was something intrinsically

wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still

empty.

> So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving.

What did it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And

terribly afraid.

> Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder

cancer and the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be

traced back for three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a

blacksmith and was not gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he

removed the largest tumor he had ever taken from a bladder and

announced we would be doing another surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see

what was left. " This is a fun guy.

> The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to

live, and that had a number of implications. I gained immediate

clarity about what was important and began focusing on becoming

well. I changed my diet, discovered herbs, explored holistic healing

and learned what it meant to take care of myself.

> Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what

am I doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else

want and how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved

with the changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what

was in my heart. This was not an easy process, since I had spent my

whole life looking outside for answers. I was so accustomed to

ferreting out what other people wanted from me, I had no idea who I

was.

> I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest

for living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly

comprises life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had

never really lived. In fact, there had been no " life " in my life.

As a result of this awareness, passion became my reason for living.

I committed myself to it wholly and completely!

> No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily

purpose was to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked

on the beach, discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes

that wouldn't make me a " better " person and read books I had wanted

to read for years. I made a list of things I wanted to do before I

died (whenever that might be) and as I did them, the list just grew.

Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment were ends in themselves. I

wanted to fully experience and live every moment I had left. I could

wait no longer.

> I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to

produce better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how

my future was going to unfold; I just continued exploring and

expressing my passion on a daily basis. I now know the sheer force

of this commitment produced miracles.

> By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in

and no one was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But

some of my old clients began calling and asking if I would do career

coaching in my home. Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I

said yes, but my consulting took a new turn. I talked about the

cancer and my commitment to living a passionate life; I thought they

might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted to hear more, and I began

conducting groups. By the end of the first year working in my living

room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more money than I

had any other year in my career. After all those years of working

and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew I

had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced

it.

> The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since

1987. My doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual

checkups, he always comments on how well I have healed. Apparently,

there are not even any remaining indications of the surgery. Is this

the result of a commitment to passion? While I cannot prove it to

you, I don't doubt it. I believe passion is the strongest force in

the universe and that it is a magnet for all one's good—happiness,

power, joy, abundance and health. You know how exhilarating it can

be to be around a group of passionate people. It produces a euphoric

energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the brain.

Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

> For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to

living. Today I bring as much life to living as possible. It has

also become my livelihood. I built an organization called The Career

Clinic, which has helped well over a thousand people heal their

relationship with work through discovering their passions and purpose

in life. Passion is not for the lucky or the talented; it is the

fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

> Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to

give it away by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude

and joy.

>

> Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken

Soup for the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,

Patty Aubery, Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart.

In order

>

>

>

>

>

> please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome;

page 2 Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! for Good

> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I gave this book to my Husband's mother was also has colon cancer, diagnosed in

October 2003.

Ingrid Lowe lowenco@...> wrote:

Dianna, this is a wonderful story. So much sense in this. Thank you

so much for sharing this and giving me the oppertunity to read this.

Thank you, Ingrid

>

> Finding My Passion

> By Lyn

>

> I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I

lost it, but in the process of dying, I found it again.

> My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and

achieving. I thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel

better about being me. I wanted desperately to please everyone . . .

family, bosses, neighbors, people I didn't like. It hardly mattered

who they were; other people's approval and validation were the source

of my self-esteem. " Looking good " was my daily regime, and I was

incredibly good at it. I continually quested for greater and greater

accomplishments because those proved my value to the outside world.

> This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work

was a series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I

never offended anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to

keep because I was afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of

stress. By constantly reacting to outside circumstances rather than

taking charge of my life, I felt victimized and I lived in fear

that " they " - whoever " they " were - would suddenly discover I was

incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest woman in my company to

hold an executive position and became director of corporate

communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my concern.

Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

> The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer,

achieve more. I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing.

I left the corporate world knowing that being independent would

change everything. Ironically, I became a career consultant and

taught people how to look good and be aware of what others expected

of them. I knew all about that.

> Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees

because I feared no one would use my services. Instead of being

driven by the demands of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my

clients. I couldn't understand why I was financially struggling and

assumed the answer was to simply make more money. So the cycle

escalated as I decided to increase my marketing and promotion efforts

even more. When I burned out and grew discontented with no

improvement in my income, I decided there was something intrinsically

wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still

empty.

> So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving.

What did it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And

terribly afraid.

> Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder

cancer and the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be

traced back for three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a

blacksmith and was not gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he

removed the largest tumor he had ever taken from a bladder and

announced we would be doing another surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see

what was left. " This is a fun guy.

> The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to

live, and that had a number of implications. I gained immediate

clarity about what was important and began focusing on becoming

well. I changed my diet, discovered herbs, explored holistic healing

and learned what it meant to take care of myself.

> Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what

am I doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else

want and how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved

with the changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what

was in my heart. This was not an easy process, since I had spent my

whole life looking outside for answers. I was so accustomed to

ferreting out what other people wanted from me, I had no idea who I

was.

> I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest

for living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly

comprises life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had

never really lived. In fact, there had been no " life " in my life.

As a result of this awareness, passion became my reason for living.

I committed myself to it wholly and completely!

> No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily

purpose was to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked

on the beach, discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes

that wouldn't make me a " better " person and read books I had wanted

to read for years. I made a list of things I wanted to do before I

died (whenever that might be) and as I did them, the list just grew.

Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment were ends in themselves. I

wanted to fully experience and live every moment I had left. I could

wait no longer.

> I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to

produce better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how

my future was going to unfold; I just continued exploring and

expressing my passion on a daily basis. I now know the sheer force

of this commitment produced miracles.

> By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in

and no one was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But

some of my old clients began calling and asking if I would do career

coaching in my home. Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I

said yes, but my consulting took a new turn. I talked about the

cancer and my commitment to living a passionate life; I thought they

might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted to hear more, and I began

conducting groups. By the end of the first year working in my living

room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more money than I

had any other year in my career. After all those years of working

and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew I

had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced

it.

> The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since

1987. My doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual

checkups, he always comments on how well I have healed. Apparently,

there are not even any remaining indications of the surgery. Is this

the result of a commitment to passion? While I cannot prove it to

you, I don't doubt it. I believe passion is the strongest force in

the universe and that it is a magnet for all one's good—happiness,

power, joy, abundance and health. You know how exhilarating it can

be to be around a group of passionate people. It produces a euphoric

energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the brain.

Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

> For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to

living. Today I bring as much life to living as possible. It has

also become my livelihood. I built an organization called The Career

Clinic, which has helped well over a thousand people heal their

relationship with work through discovering their passions and purpose

in life. Passion is not for the lucky or the talented; it is the

fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

> Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to

give it away by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude

and joy.

>

> Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken

Soup for the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,

Patty Aubery, Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart.

In order

>

>

>

>

>

> please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome;

page 2 Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! for Good

> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I gave this book to my Husband's mother was also has colon cancer, diagnosed in

October 2003.

Ingrid Lowe lowenco@...> wrote:

Dianna, this is a wonderful story. So much sense in this. Thank you

so much for sharing this and giving me the oppertunity to read this.

Thank you, Ingrid

>

> Finding My Passion

> By Lyn

>

> I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I

lost it, but in the process of dying, I found it again.

> My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and

achieving. I thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel

better about being me. I wanted desperately to please everyone . . .

family, bosses, neighbors, people I didn't like. It hardly mattered

who they were; other people's approval and validation were the source

of my self-esteem. " Looking good " was my daily regime, and I was

incredibly good at it. I continually quested for greater and greater

accomplishments because those proved my value to the outside world.

> This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work

was a series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I

never offended anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to

keep because I was afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of

stress. By constantly reacting to outside circumstances rather than

taking charge of my life, I felt victimized and I lived in fear

that " they " - whoever " they " were - would suddenly discover I was

incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest woman in my company to

hold an executive position and became director of corporate

communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my concern.

Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

> The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer,

achieve more. I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing.

I left the corporate world knowing that being independent would

change everything. Ironically, I became a career consultant and

taught people how to look good and be aware of what others expected

of them. I knew all about that.

> Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees

because I feared no one would use my services. Instead of being

driven by the demands of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my

clients. I couldn't understand why I was financially struggling and

assumed the answer was to simply make more money. So the cycle

escalated as I decided to increase my marketing and promotion efforts

even more. When I burned out and grew discontented with no

improvement in my income, I decided there was something intrinsically

wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still

empty.

> So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving.

What did it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And

terribly afraid.

> Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder

cancer and the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be

traced back for three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a

blacksmith and was not gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he

removed the largest tumor he had ever taken from a bladder and

announced we would be doing another surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see

what was left. " This is a fun guy.

> The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to

live, and that had a number of implications. I gained immediate

clarity about what was important and began focusing on becoming

well. I changed my diet, discovered herbs, explored holistic healing

and learned what it meant to take care of myself.

> Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what

am I doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else

want and how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved

with the changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what

was in my heart. This was not an easy process, since I had spent my

whole life looking outside for answers. I was so accustomed to

ferreting out what other people wanted from me, I had no idea who I

was.

> I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest

for living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly

comprises life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had

never really lived. In fact, there had been no " life " in my life.

As a result of this awareness, passion became my reason for living.

I committed myself to it wholly and completely!

> No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily

purpose was to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked

on the beach, discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes

that wouldn't make me a " better " person and read books I had wanted

to read for years. I made a list of things I wanted to do before I

died (whenever that might be) and as I did them, the list just grew.

Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment were ends in themselves. I

wanted to fully experience and live every moment I had left. I could

wait no longer.

> I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to

produce better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how

my future was going to unfold; I just continued exploring and

expressing my passion on a daily basis. I now know the sheer force

of this commitment produced miracles.

> By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in

and no one was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But

some of my old clients began calling and asking if I would do career

coaching in my home. Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I

said yes, but my consulting took a new turn. I talked about the

cancer and my commitment to living a passionate life; I thought they

might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted to hear more, and I began

conducting groups. By the end of the first year working in my living

room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more money than I

had any other year in my career. After all those years of working

and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew I

had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced

it.

> The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since

1987. My doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual

checkups, he always comments on how well I have healed. Apparently,

there are not even any remaining indications of the surgery. Is this

the result of a commitment to passion? While I cannot prove it to

you, I don't doubt it. I believe passion is the strongest force in

the universe and that it is a magnet for all one's good—happiness,

power, joy, abundance and health. You know how exhilarating it can

be to be around a group of passionate people. It produces a euphoric

energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the brain.

Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

> For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to

living. Today I bring as much life to living as possible. It has

also become my livelihood. I built an organization called The Career

Clinic, which has helped well over a thousand people heal their

relationship with work through discovering their passions and purpose

in life. Passion is not for the lucky or the talented; it is the

fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

> Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to

give it away by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude

and joy.

>

> Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken

Soup for the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,

Patty Aubery, Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart.

In order

>

>

>

>

>

> please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome;

page 2 Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! for Good

> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You guys are all welcome, it makes so much sense to me too. ~Dianna

Ingrid Lowe lowenco@...> wrote:Dianna, this is a wonderful story. So

much sense in this. Thank you

so much for sharing this and giving me the oppertunity to read this.

Thank you, Ingrid

>

> Finding My Passion

> By Lyn

>

> I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I

lost it, but in the process of dying, I found it again.

> My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and

achieving. I thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel

better about being me. I wanted desperately to please everyone . . .

family, bosses, neighbors, people I didn't like. It hardly mattered

who they were; other people's approval and validation were the source

of my self-esteem. " Looking good " was my daily regime, and I was

incredibly good at it. I continually quested for greater and greater

accomplishments because those proved my value to the outside world.

> This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work

was a series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I

never offended anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to

keep because I was afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of

stress. By constantly reacting to outside circumstances rather than

taking charge of my life, I felt victimized and I lived in fear

that " they " - whoever " they " were - would suddenly discover I was

incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest woman in my company to

hold an executive position and became director of corporate

communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my concern.

Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

> The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer,

achieve more. I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing.

I left the corporate world knowing that being independent would

change everything. Ironically, I became a career consultant and

taught people how to look good and be aware of what others expected

of them. I knew all about that.

> Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees

because I feared no one would use my services. Instead of being

driven by the demands of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my

clients. I couldn't understand why I was financially struggling and

assumed the answer was to simply make more money. So the cycle

escalated as I decided to increase my marketing and promotion efforts

even more. When I burned out and grew discontented with no

improvement in my income, I decided there was something intrinsically

wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still

empty.

> So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving.

What did it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And

terribly afraid.

> Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder

cancer and the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be

traced back for three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a

blacksmith and was not gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he

removed the largest tumor he had ever taken from a bladder and

announced we would be doing another surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see

what was left. " This is a fun guy.

> The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to

live, and that had a number of implications. I gained immediate

clarity about what was important and began focusing on becoming

well. I changed my diet, discovered herbs, explored holistic healing

and learned what it meant to take care of myself.

> Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what

am I doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else

want and how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved

with the changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what

was in my heart. This was not an easy process, since I had spent my

whole life looking outside for answers. I was so accustomed to

ferreting out what other people wanted from me, I had no idea who I

was.

> I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest

for living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly

comprises life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had

never really lived. In fact, there had been no " life " in my life.

As a result of this awareness, passion became my reason for living.

I committed myself to it wholly and completely!

> No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily

purpose was to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked

on the beach, discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes

that wouldn't make me a " better " person and read books I had wanted

to read for years. I made a list of things I wanted to do before I

died (whenever that might be) and as I did them, the list just grew.

Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment were ends in themselves. I

wanted to fully experience and live every moment I had left. I could

wait no longer.

> I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to

produce better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how

my future was going to unfold; I just continued exploring and

expressing my passion on a daily basis. I now know the sheer force

of this commitment produced miracles.

> By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in

and no one was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But

some of my old clients began calling and asking if I would do career

coaching in my home. Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I

said yes, but my consulting took a new turn. I talked about the

cancer and my commitment to living a passionate life; I thought they

might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted to hear more, and I began

conducting groups. By the end of the first year working in my living

room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more money than I

had any other year in my career. After all those years of working

and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew I

had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced

it.

> The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since

1987. My doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual

checkups, he always comments on how well I have healed. Apparently,

there are not even any remaining indications of the surgery. Is this

the result of a commitment to passion? While I cannot prove it to

you, I don't doubt it. I believe passion is the strongest force in

the universe and that it is a magnet for all one's good—happiness,

power, joy, abundance and health. You know how exhilarating it can

be to be around a group of passionate people. It produces a euphoric

energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the brain.

Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

> For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to

living. Today I bring as much life to living as possible. It has

also become my livelihood. I built an organization called The Career

Clinic, which has helped well over a thousand people heal their

relationship with work through discovering their passions and purpose

in life. Passion is not for the lucky or the talented; it is the

fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

> Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to

give it away by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude

and joy.

>

> Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken

Soup for the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,

Patty Aubery, Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart.

In order

>

>

>

>

>

> please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome;

page 2 Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! for Good

> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

>

>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You guys are all welcome, it makes so much sense to me too. ~Dianna

Ingrid Lowe lowenco@...> wrote:Dianna, this is a wonderful story. So

much sense in this. Thank you

so much for sharing this and giving me the oppertunity to read this.

Thank you, Ingrid

>

> Finding My Passion

> By Lyn

>

> I know a lot about passion because in the process of living, I

lost it, but in the process of dying, I found it again.

> My life was about three things: pleasing, proving and

achieving. I thought that if enough people liked me, I would feel

better about being me. I wanted desperately to please everyone . . .

family, bosses, neighbors, people I didn't like. It hardly mattered

who they were; other people's approval and validation were the source

of my self-esteem. " Looking good " was my daily regime, and I was

incredibly good at it. I continually quested for greater and greater

accomplishments because those proved my value to the outside world.

> This thinking affected the entire fabric of my life. My work

was a series of long hours, proving my dedication and making sure I

never offended anyone. I made impossible promises that were hard to

keep because I was afraid to say no, which added untold amounts of

stress. By constantly reacting to outside circumstances rather than

taking charge of my life, I felt victimized and I lived in fear

that " they " - whoever " they " were - would suddenly discover I was

incompetent. The fact that I was the youngest woman in my company to

hold an executive position and became director of corporate

communications while still in my mid-20s did not assuage my concern.

Nothing soothed my self-doubt.

> The only solution I knew was to try harder, work longer,

achieve more. I just knew I'd be happy when I did the right thing.

I left the corporate world knowing that being independent would

change everything. Ironically, I became a career consultant and

taught people how to look good and be aware of what others expected

of them. I knew all about that.

> Of course, I was still a people-pleaser and took lower fees

because I feared no one would use my services. Instead of being

driven by the demands of a boss, I was driven by the demands of my

clients. I couldn't understand why I was financially struggling and

assumed the answer was to simply make more money. So the cycle

escalated as I decided to increase my marketing and promotion efforts

even more. When I burned out and grew discontented with no

improvement in my income, I decided there was something intrinsically

wrong with me and embarked on a campaign to fix it. I went to

classes, lost weight and joined personal-growth groups. I was still

empty.

> So it went . . . my life of pleasing, proving and achieving.

What did it get me? Tired. Broke. Emotionally depleted. And

terribly afraid.

> Then in 1986, the awakening came. I discovered I had bladder

cancer and the prognosis looked bleak because my symptoms could be

traced back for three years. My doctor had the bedside manner of a

blacksmith and was not gently encouraging. In my first surgery, he

removed the largest tumor he had ever taken from a bladder and

announced we would be doing another surgery in 10 to 12 weeks " to see

what was left. " This is a fun guy.

> The cancer changed my life forever. I made a decision to

live, and that had a number of implications. I gained immediate

clarity about what was important and began focusing on becoming

well. I changed my diet, discovered herbs, explored holistic healing

and learned what it meant to take care of myself.

> Most important, I began asking the question: Who am I and what

am I doing here? Previously, my concern was: What does everyone else

want and how can I make them like me? I shifted from being involved

with the changing demands of the outside world to focusing on what

was in my heart. This was not an easy process, since I had spent my

whole life looking outside for answers. I was so accustomed to

ferreting out what other people wanted from me, I had no idea who I

was.

> I realized that my life totally lacked passion . . that zest

for living, that sense of joy, creativity and spontaneity that truly

comprises life. Suddenly faced with possible death, I knew I had

never really lived. In fact, there had been no " life " in my life.

As a result of this awareness, passion became my reason for living.

I committed myself to it wholly and completely!

> No, I had no idea what it meant. I just knew that my daily

purpose was to get up and do something passionate each day. I walked

on the beach, discovered I love rollercoaster rides, took fun classes

that wouldn't make me a " better " person and read books I had wanted

to read for years. I made a list of things I wanted to do before I

died (whenever that might be) and as I did them, the list just grew.

Enthusiasm, excitement and fulfillment were ends in themselves. I

wanted to fully experience and live every moment I had left. I could

wait no longer.

> I felt more positive and hopeful. It took less energy to

produce better results. I allowed myself to be uncertain about how

my future was going to unfold; I just continued exploring and

expressing my passion on a daily basis. I now know the sheer force

of this commitment produced miracles.

> By now, my business was shut down, I had no money coming in

and no one was interested in hiring a terminally ill patient. But

some of my old clients began calling and asking if I would do career

coaching in my home. Heaven knows, nothing else was happening, so I

said yes, but my consulting took a new turn. I talked about the

cancer and my commitment to living a passionate life; I thought they

might want that, too. Indeed, many wanted to hear more, and I began

conducting groups. By the end of the first year working in my living

room, I discovered I had seen more people and made more money than I

had any other year in my career. After all those years of working

and trying so hard, it was that simple. What a revelation! I knew I

had stumbled onto something that could work for anyone who embraced

it.

> The other major miracle is that I have been cancer-free since

1987. My doctor is stunned by my recovery. When I have my annual

checkups, he always comments on how well I have healed. Apparently,

there are not even any remaining indications of the surgery. Is this

the result of a commitment to passion? While I cannot prove it to

you, I don't doubt it. I believe passion is the strongest force in

the universe and that it is a magnet for all one's good—happiness,

power, joy, abundance and health. You know how exhilarating it can

be to be around a group of passionate people. It produces a euphoric

energy. Like running, it creates endorphins in the brain.

Endorphins boost and protect the immune system. Cancer is a disease

of the immune system, so why couldn't passion heal it?

> For me, the process of dying brought great relevance to

living. Today I bring as much life to living as possible. It has

also become my livelihood. I built an organization called The Career

Clinic, which has helped well over a thousand people heal their

relationship with work through discovering their passions and purpose

in life. Passion is not for the lucky or the talented; it is the

fire waiting to be ignited in every soul.

> Through cancer, I received the gift of life. Now I get to

give it away by speaking and teaching, and do so with great gratitude

and joy.

>

> Reprinted by permission of Lyn © 1995 from Chicken

Soup for the Surviving Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen,

Patty Aubery, Autio- and Beverly Kirkhart.

In order

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> please visit 's memory site:

http://www.geocities.com/angelmomfriends4/jason1.html page 1 Welcome;

page 2 Birthday; page 3 His last years and death

>

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> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! for Good

> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

>

>

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