MONDAY MOTIVATION - Lose Yourself in Service

Something exciting happened in my family last week. I hope you won't mind if I share it with you. The church I belong to - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon church - offers the opportunity of missionary work to its members. Young men (age 19), are asked to serve a mission somewhere in the world - for 2 years. (Many young women and couples also serve missions.) My son, Michael, just received his mission call - he is going to spend 2 years in Veracruz, Mexico!

This mission call has caused me to pause and think a lot about service. Missionaries (and their families) pay for their own missions (about $10,000), they don't work for those two years. They spend their time studying, learning, teaching, and serving. It's an amazing opportunity - one that cannot be equaled. My oldest son, Grant, served a mission in Fukuoka Japan for 2 years, and he came home a changed man. It was an amazing transformation for a mother to watch. The thing he learned that was most important, in my opinion, is that we must serve other people.

Service is something that changes lives. While going through my cancer journey - especially through all of my treatments - I was the recipient of an outpouring of service. My mother served as she took me to every one of my chemo treatments, stayed with me all day, brought me back home, and made sure I was comfortable. My sister, Kris, served me by being my Bosom Buddy - the one who went to every one of my appointments at the plastic surgeon's - holding my hand through every single injection, through bandages being removed, and stood right next to me, looking at my new image in the mirror. Other friends, and family, served my family through dinners, cards and letters, gifts, phone calls, etc. All of this service was invaluable to me. It helped me through my cancer journey, and instilled in me a desire to serve other cancer survivors. It changed me, and I'm sure it changed each person who served me.

I love the words of Mohandas Gandhi:

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

"All other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy."

We, as women, are especially drawn to service - it strengthens us and lifts us up.

As Gandhi said: "I have worshipped woman as the living embodiment of the spirit of service and sacrifice."

As you go through your cancer journey, let others serve you. Allow them to shower you with love and help. Then, when you feel better, let their service influence you into serving as well.

Have a wonderful day!

-Kara