We brainstormed questions, pondered responses, and eagerly put the call out for submissions for our third annual Moonshine Ink 500 Writers Contest, with the burning question: Was This Year a Boom or a Bust for You? Then we waited. And waited. It seemed, that whether the year was indeed a boom, or unfortunately, a bust, people needed time to think it over. All it took was one deadline extension for the submissions to come rolling in.
We narrowed the selections down, and boy, was it a tough decision to choose from among the finalists. Our grand prize winner, Truckee resident Chris Ayres, turned a decidedly ‘bust’ situation into a boom reflection. As one judge said, ‘Love, love, love [the essay’s] simplicity and how it really touches on the theme clearly.’ Congratulations to Chris, who receives a sunset sail with Tahoe Sailing Charters and dinner for two at Jake’s on the Lake.
Forgot to share your insights? Have an idea for our next writers contest? Share your comments online at moonshineink.com.
A Gift from the Boom/Bust Year
Having cancer automatically buys you a seat on a boom/bust rollercoaster. One day you are up with the news that your medicine is working. The next day, you plunge to the depths because your lab tests are bad. One day a doctor who considers you only as a statistic has no time to answer your questions. The next, another doctor who cares about you as the person you are wants to discuss your quality of life.
Sometimes there’s a perfect day when you totally forget you have a terminal disease. The Sun is sparkling off the snow or on your burgeoning green garden. The air is sweet and you are immersed in the joy of just being. Other times, you are collapsed in your beloved’s arms, sobbing like you will never stop over the thought of dying and leaving him.
What makes life on the cancer rollercoaster bearable, doable, and in some crazy way a gift? Love. Love smooths out the peaks and valleys, the booms and busts. Through surgeries, therapies, periods of remission, and recurrence. Love is the bridge through it all. Love comes pouring through people you never imagined would step up and become wonderful friends, replacing the few who vaporized at the news of your diagnosis. Selfless love coming in amazing ways: soup left on the doorstep, people running errands, old friends who just sit with you or take you for a walk. Heroes helping with the mortgage. Healings, prayers, phone calls, emails, and cards, a haircut, a massage, and hugs — lots and lots of hugs.
Love is the gift the boom and bust has brought. Life on the rollercoaster never ends, but love is eternal.
