What If You Knew You Only Had Three Months Left to Live?

“The meaning of life is that it stops.”

– Franz Kafka

One of the most interesting aspects of travel is the people we meet…

At the very beginning of this trip, I began my travels in Greece on the island of Milos. I flew there from Athens, then spent a few days resting and recovering from jetlag before heading to Folegandros for my glorious two weeks of solo writing.

While on Milos, I was sitting on my balcony one morning having coffee when a woman staying in the hotel across the street came out of her room and sat on her balcony.

I can’t remember how we got chatting but at some point, I wandered across the street (still in my pajamas), pulled up a chair and sat with her on her balcony. We introduced ourselves. Her name was Jackie. I’d say she was in her late sixties.

Jackie and her friend (who was still inside their hotel room) were from the UK and had been traveling around the Greek islands for a couple of weeks. But Jackie’s journey was now coming to an end…in more ways than one.

Our brief conversation went a little like this:

ME: “Are you having a good trip?”

JACKIE:  “Yes, thank you…very nice. Unfortunately, I’m not really able to enjoy all the good food at the moment.”

ME: “Oh no! Why not?”

JACKIE: “Well…I seem to be having difficulty swallowing.”

ME (puzzled): “Oh.”

JACKIE: “It really hurts. So I’m pretty much just eating soups.”

ME: “That’s too bad…”

JACKIE: “We’re flying home to England later today…and I have an appointment to see my doctor on Monday.”

ME: “Good!”

She gave me a bit of an odd look.

ME: “Not good?”

JACKIE: “No, I don’t think so. I had some tests done before I left on this trip, and I took a quick peek at the online lab results the other day and…it doesn’t look good.”

ME: “Oh.”

JACKIE: “I think it’s esophageal cancer…pretty far along, too.”

ME: “OH NO!”

JACKIE: “Yup. And if this is the case, then I’ve already made up my mind that I am NOT going to have treatment. I just don’t want to go through that. I want to enjoy what time I have left.”

ME: “Okay.”

JACKIE: “From what I’ve read, I suspect I’ve got about three good months. Hopefully I can squeeze in one more short cruise before…”

Before parting ways, Jackie and I exchanged numbers. We’ve kept in touch over the past two months…just short little messages on WhatsApp, keeping each other updated on our adventures. As you can imagine, mine have been a heck of a lot more fun and enjoyable than hers 🙁

Unfortunately, her doctor confirmed that she does indeed have very advanced esophageal cancer. And, just as she’d said to me on the balcony in Milos that morning, she has decided not to receive treatment. Swallowing food is still incredibly painful and although they put in a stent, it didn’t do much to ease the pain.

I suspect Jackie may not be able to squeeze in that one last cruise. And even if she does, she won’t be able to eat much…which is a significant part of the cruising experience.

Oddly enough, however, that is exactly where I am at the moment: in the middle of the ocean on a Transatlantic repositioning cruise from Barcelona to Tampa. And I cannot help but notice the extreme contrast between our two situations.

Not only am I healthy, happy and still traveling, I am also able to thoroughly ENJOY all the yummy food a cruise ship has to offer! I am profoundly grateful for my health, that I have the means to travel, that I can work while I travel, and that I am traveling with a wonderful friend to share the journey with.

“Keep traveling while you can,” Jackie wrote in one of her WhatsApp messages to me. “Savour every moment! Enjoy all the sights you can on this beautiful planet.”

I find it interesting that I crossed paths with Jackie when I did. Sometimes I worry I am traveling TOO much…and eating too much…and having too much fun. But then I think of Jackie, who only has a few months left to live and can’t even eat, let alone travel…and I am reminded – yet again – that this life is finite.

Our lives are a gift to be celebrated, appreciated and enjoyed as much as possible…while we still can.

On this cruise, I have also been thinking quite a bit about my mom aka “Momma Pope.” A few years before she passed away, my family went on a cruise together to Alaska and we had an absolute ball!

After the cruise ended, I was pushing her in a wheelchair down the long ramp to get off the ship…and she started bawling her eyes out, trying to hide behind her huge sunglasses.

“Mom,” I said. “What’s wrong?!”

“I don’t want the party to end!” she cried.

Nor do I. Nor does Jackie. Alas, it will. It has to. That’s life. So we best enjoy it while we can.

Here are a few photos of magnificent Milos:

 

 

“Life is about making mistakes. Death is about wishing you made more.”

– Jennifer Aniston

Maryanne Pope is the author of “A Widow’s Awakening.” She also writes screenplays, playscripts & blogs. Maryanne is the CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and Co-Founder of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund. To receive her blog, “Weekly Words of Wisdom,” please subscribe here. And be sure to visit our PinkGazelleCards Etsy shop.