A 17-year-old Named Kim

A young lady I work with is a teacher in the high school department at her church. Valerie stopped me today to tell me this story. She said the topic last night was "Stress." Most of the senior high kids talked about their mom as being the biggest stress in their lives and what all Mom is making them do. Clean their room, be respectful, do your homework, make good grades. That kind of stress. Kim was the last one to speak. She is 17. Kim said that her stress right now is that she's putting stress on her mom because she (Kim herself) has Stage 2 cervical cancer. Valerie said that her ears just couldn't grasp what Kim said and she asked her "What?" And then Kim said cervical cancer again. Valerie had the kids get in a circle and had Kim in the middle and they all prayed for her. Makes all their 'stress' seem inconsequential. It may mean a complete hysterectomy.

Valerie made the comment to me that she wanted to be strong and positive for Kim so she didn't want to cry in front of her. I told Valerie, through my tears as she told me about Kim, that that's exactly what Kim probably needs, is someone to cry with. Her mom is a single parent so she's being strong for Kim, who's being strong for mom. . . . I encouraged Valerie to talk to Kim and to cry with her. It's OK. It's what you need and almost crave when you have cancer. You cry, you get it over for a while and you can go on. Then you cry again and then you laugh. And you get through it. And you go on to the next thing.

If you are given the opportunity to be that kleenex in someone's life, please stick around and get a little wet. That's what we're all here for. Your tears mean you care. Please add Kim to your prayer list.