Not back to normal

Life is never the same after cancer.

Cancer survivors sometimes talk about the "new normal."

Often the new normal includes some challenges: For me, challenges include some lingering pain from the surgery and less energy.

But I'm trying to hold on to the good parts of new normal:

Feeling less scared about taking a chance, because after cancer, nothing seems that scary any more.

Being nicer to my husband, because life is short and why waste it being grumpy.

Following my heart and doing crazy things -- teaching poetry to middle school kids, volunteering as a tutor, writing a novel.

Now that I have celebrated one year since treatment, some of the intensity of the experience is fading. But I am fighting against fading back to the old normal, when I took things for granted and tolerated spending time doing things I didn't love.

So here's to the new normal!