The Express

Just finished watching a movie on DVD - The Express. It's the story of Ernie Davies, an African-American football player who led Syracuse University to its first ever national championship, and who also went on to become the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in college football.

He was all set to begin his professional career in the National Football League when he learned that he had leukemia. He never played another football game and his life was cut short at the young age of 23.

The story drove home a point that I have been telling myself these past weeks. This condition that I have, I would much rather not have, but really, there are a lot of worse things that one can have. With my situation, there is a clear path towards resolution (in fact, there are too many of them). While with many other illnesses and conditions, not a single clear path towards resolution exist.

As for the one in thirty chance of not making it past surgery, well, I think I have probably been closer to death before. I once dozed off for a few seconds while driving a car on Freeway 5 somewhere between Los Angeles and San Diego. Whenever I remember those few seconds, I still shudder at the thought, and the probability of something bad happening at that point was probably higher than one in thirty.

Besides, if I were God, I probably would be in no rush to see me just yet.. :-)