Why I Call It an Adventure (Not a Journey)!
As I write this newsletter, I have just returned from a long road trip covering 6,400 miles by truck and an additional 1,600 miles by plane. We celebrated two mothers/grandmothers (ages 90 & 86 years of age) and memorialized our father/grandfather (aged 88 years old).
While on the trip, we heard news of an anticipated passing of a long-time friend who battled cancer for many years (aged 58 years old). At this very moment, everything is still tender-hearted. I’m not sure if our friend or her family would label her experience as an adventure or a journey.
She may even say, “It was a pain in the ass.”
The use of language around this complicated topic, in my opinion, requires much sensitivity and - to be frank - permission from the survivor. I personally don’t like being labeled or identified without my permission.
Our son, Benjamin, shaved Michael’s head for FCSN (Firefighters Cancer Support Network).
Many cancer survivors have weighed in on how to characterize cancer.
“To me, journeys are fun and pleasurable and things you have control over,” she tells HuffPost UK. “For me personally, the correct metaphor to describe cancer would be a rollercoaster because there’s so many ups and downs.”
"Cancer journey" makes it sound like I bought a ticket and planned the trip. "Cancer adventure" acknowledges that sometimes life drops you into experiences you never saw coming—and that's where the magic happens.
“I can’t imagine ever feeling I'm ‘all-clear’... cancer will always be a part of my life whether I like it or not.”
In my experience, there is an important difference between a Cancer Victim and Cancer Adventurer mindset.
Sean Swarner demonstrates what comprises a Cancer Adventurer mindset.
First diagnosis was from ages 13-14 for Sean Swarner, His second was around 16-17 years of age. “I was sick from a cancer diagnosis that forever altered my life.”
He reflects on that time period. “My life was on pause.” and then realized, Don’t go after someone else’s goals. Go after what you want to go after.”
From his longtime experience with cancer, Swarner offers these key ideas for embracing the cancer adventure:
The power of language in shaping experience
Why "journey" implies control and "adventure" embraces surprise
How perspective becomes medicine
Teaching others to reframe their interruptions
Swarner’s wisdom can be applied to any type of disruption or challenge in one’s life. The adventurer mindset can move us through the fear and uncertainty of loss, illness, divorce, or any other type of life-altering change. It just takes some practice and remembering that there are many fellow adventurers climbing that same mountain.
