(JT from Saga Prefecture/60s/Femal/Housewife)
My son was diagnosed with the second stage of a large intestinal cancer and it spread to his lungs within six months since his first diagnosis. My anxiety grew towards my unseen future.
As I learned Kami’s teaching hard and told my wavered feeling to Kami, I recovered back to calmness and could take in the reality. I changed my kokoro to think “My son is in a most hard situation. I need to encourage my son and family with bright and strong kokoro as a mother.” I experienced the salvation of kokoro.
Deepened family ties brought by the cancer
One day, I got a phone call from my son’s wife. She told “I am sorry, mother. I could not do anything for him.” I told her “What are you saying? My son could live until now thanks to you.”
How sad and vulnerable the son’s wife also felt… I felt full of gratitude to her who had close connection to my family.
My son who worked hard until today said, “Mother, we both cried a lot. I deeply understood after getting cancer that the most important things are my life and my family.”
After that, my son had a surgery to remove cancer successfully and was able to leave the hospital with improved condition. Now, they tell us how adorable their children have been growing, and communicate with us to bring happiness and a sense of ease.
Value to realize what we should do
My son’s cancer was hard for us, however, it let us realize again the most important value is supporting each other as family. As I learned from the Shinji given at Kigansai, I sincerely feel the importance to be conscious of Kami’s teaching and to live as we share it as a family.
I learned that I should not take my family situation for granted, and continue to strive to make the effort in establishing a family that care and love each other, and live with Kami’s teaching.