"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."

 ~ Khalil Gibran

I have a dear friend who was diagnosed a year ago with pancreatic cancer.  She handled the news with courage and, throughout all the agonizing chemotherapy and radiation, she has kept her sense of humor, she has stayed busy doing things with friends, and she has spent quality time with her family.  My friend has possibly the most positive attitude of anyone I know.  Last week her doctor told her that her body cannot withstand any more chemotherapy and that she is entering the last stages of her illness. 

Needless to say, she suffered a meltdown upon hearing the confirmation of what she suspected.  But the next morning she awoke and decided that she will make the most of each and every day she has remaining on this earth.  She put a smile on her face and went about her daily routine. 

Today, she and her husband left on an Alaskan cruise, one of the many items remaining on her bucket list.  I promised her that when she returns we will go to a honky tonk bar (which is 100 years old) to have one of the best burgers in town.   (She joked that she might even try  pole dancing!)  I so admire her courage, her determination, her endurance and strength in remaining so positive throughout her illness.

Our attitude defines our joy in life.  We can choose to be happy, or we can choose to be sad.  We can look at the cup as half full, or we can look at it as half empty.  The choice is yours.  I repeat, "Carpe diem." ♥