What's Really Important?

it's tarik i m italian teacher and i would like to have serious relationship with you of course if you don't mind i m romantic man i write sometimes poetry and i hope to be the best on what you are looking for too hope to hear from you news

That is an actual message I got from a guy on Match.com....Now, apparently I attract men who can't even speak English....which would be fine if I were in a foreign country....It's all just so comical.

Okay, let's talk about what a BADASS my Ma is. She started chemo yesterday, and this dumb biz nurse started trying to tell her that her doctors didn't know what they were doing and that she needed to do this and that, and that she didn't have a say because her cancer is so rare and therefore she's special (while patting her condescendingly). Also, everyone had been basically treating her like a rare test specimen, so she brought in her "cancer team" and gave this little gem of a speech:

I am one of 8 sibling, I have 7 brothers and sisters, 6 of them still living. And we are extremely close. You will probably meet a lot of them.

I have a daughter going to grad school in Cincinnati, and she's the best daughter you could ask for, and I need to be able to go see her shows.

I have friends who are like my family and would do anything for me.

I've got a husband who loves me and wants to take me to Hawaii.

I may have a special type of cancer, but I am special to a lot of people.

I know every time you've seen me I've been crying and I've been scared, and I'm still scared, but now I'm pissed.

I will do whatever it takes to get better, but you have to give me that chance.

I'm not used to being out of control like this. I should have a say in my treatment.

I am more than just a rare appendix cancer.

I am Patsy Smith.

I am a PERSON.

And you will start treating me like one.

I teared up as she was telling me this. My Ma is so brave.

I don't know that I'l EVER do something that valiant. That speech could seriously be straight from an epic battle cry.

So, my Ma told off a room full of medical professionals and made them listen to her yesterday. What did I do today?

What did YOU do today?

A couple of us grads got together for coffee and they were complaining about all the BS we have to deal with, and all I could think was "Ya know, we don't have it that bad. Life could be a lot worse."

In comparison boys, school, and even theater seem like silly things to get all worked up over. So I won't. Not anymore.

I'm so damn proud of my Ma I can't get over it.

Short little thing that barely weighs over 100lbs, sick from chemo, and still the toughest broad I know.

Someday maybe I'll be that cool.