Growing up again

When I was 18 I thought I was a grown man because I had joined the army, and I had jumped out of airplanes not on the ground. Then I got to my unit and figured out that I did not know it all, and pulled my horns in somewhat. When I graduated college, got commissioned and graduated from infantry basic for officers and then Ranger school I was sure I was a grown man because I was 26, and as lean and mean as I was ever going to be. Every time I thought I had life handled something came along to prove me wrong.

Now I am 45, have raised two kids, and the normal yada yada stuff. One of our friends was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news hasn't gotten good yet, I am watching her husband attempt to be strong and tough, and I know it is killing him.

You don't want to let cancer be the focal point of your time with them, but you don't want to treat it like the elephant in the room. I know my wife and I are scared for them, and we will pray for them, because as I said to my wife, I don't have anything else I can do to help.

I have to believe our fears and emotions are a fraction of their daily fears.

I don't know what to do, and I feel like I am learning how to be a grown up again, and like most growing, it seems to come with some pain.