March 6, 2013 marks five years since my mother died from metastatic breast cancer. Sometimes it seems like it was only yesterday. Sometimes it seems like ages ago.

As it should, time continues on. Time stops for no one.

Five years feels like one of those memorable markers, one of those milestones in the grieving process people speak of.

But this post isn’t about the grieving process. Those thoughts will be for other days.

The purpose of this post is to remember, to mark time.

It seems important for some reason to say the words five years have passed; to state them out loud, to write them down, to share them with others.

Marking time matters. 

This post is also intended to be another reminder for anyone who will listen that my mother did not die because she had a poor attitude. She did not die because she failed to “fight the battle” long enough or hard enough. She did not succumb or give up. She died because she ran out of options to treat a wretched disease that still takes roughly 40,000 lives every year in the United States alone. Globally the annual rate approaches 500,000.

Pink and pink ribbons have not changed this fact all that much.

Behind every number is a face, a life, a family affected.

Remembering and honoring one life lost to metastatic breast cancer, somehow remembers and honors them all.

I’ve said these things before. I will say them again and again, because such things need repeating.

I will keep remembering.

I will keep marking time.

We will not forget.

Have you lost a parent (or both parents) or other loved one?

Have you lost someone you care about to metastatic cancer of any kind?

Do you keep track of time that’s passed since losing loved ones?

 

Yes, that’s me my mom is holding

Enjoying a special day

My mom loved her grandma role (my daughter and oldest son)

One of my all-time favorites

Taken after initial diagnosis before recurrence (my youngest son)

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