Unconquerable

My wife and I watched Invictus last night.

It’s the story of Nelson Mandela’s efforts to unify post-apartheid South Africa in supporting the Springbok rugby team’s efforts at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In the story, shares the poem “Invictus” (written in 1875 by William Ernest Henley) with François Pienaar, captain of the Springbok team, to help inspire him to lead the underdog team to victory.

Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.

13 Years and 1 Day

Thirteen years and one day ago my mother passed away after enduring numerous cancer treatments over eleven years.

I’m 32 years old. Do the math. Cancer has played a prominent role in 75 percent of my life.

Yesterday (October 19, 2010) was the fourth or fifth time that the anniversary has come and passed without much anxiety or sadness. Yesterday was the third time that I’ve gone through the entire day without realizing what day it was. I think that’s a good thing.

I think.

On October 3rd of this year a really good friend’s mother passed away after 14 years of battling cancer. My October 19, 1997 is his October 3, 2010.

Hearing the story I was amazed how familiar it seemed. “I know this story, I’ve heard it somewhere before.” I’m grateful that my friend was able to be there at the end.

I Want To Be Rescued

I don’t know if you’ve been watching the coverage in the past 12 hours as the trapped Chilean miners have been emerging after 69 days trapped underground. But it’s incredible.

There are so many amazing things to say about the ordeal but I was really struck this morning by what Mario Sepulveda, the second miner to be rescued, said:

“They gave us our lives back. It’s incredible they rescued us from 700 meters down and without being able to see us face to face.”

Mr. Sepulveda is turning out to be quite a character. You can see for yourself in this video of his reaction after being brought back to the surface.