I Know

Ok, Jim,

You got me…I read your blogs daily and keep thinking..”I’ll sit down and write tomorrow.” However, tomorrow never comes, so here I am.

I have no words of wisdom, weird miracle cures, etc. The only words I have for you are that we are praying for you and your family, and are cheering you on in this battle. Thank you for sharing this journey with us.

Take care,
Johnna R.

I usually wonder if I have anything worthwhile to say that will actually add value. After visiting the blogosphere for years, I’ve discovered that if what you want to say doesn’t add value, you’re considered an attention hog or very lonely/OCD type. LOL I don’t have a story to share that I can think of, but I did want to tell you that, for me, reading your stories makes me recognize/feel your bravery, even if you don’t feel it yourself. While I don’t know you personally, I follow this blog quite regularly, as I’m emotionally attached now. *good writing!* Keep posting, hoping, living, and we’ll keep reading. Thank for sharing your struggles.

What is life? Life is an experience, a learning process from the day we are born until the day we die. Some people grow well, want to learn and experience, others merely go through the day to deal with life as if it was a pest. Life is like a journeyman going out to learn the trade, but what is the trade that is supposed to be learned?

What is life, if one doesn’t stop to reflect on lessons learned, and stop to enjoy the small moments of success and having gained insight of a valuable lesson learned?

A good life to me is to have lived my life with the knowledge that i have learned to be a better being, someone who is capable of true love, which is the only thing that makes a real and lasting impact in this world, something that will yield a return like a wheat field at harvest time.

You can never turn back the clock, or change the past, and it’s always hard to make up for an error.
But you can always start fresh, every minute, every moment is a new opportunity.
And with true love life is worth living even through the hardest of times.

Love never ends, and a life lived with love will never die, but rather death then becomes a celebration of a life lived well.

Inspired by the Good Book.
Tanja Cornwell

Ha, ha, you caught me. I’ve been following from the get go.
I consider this the greatest story ever told and hang on your
every word. How often does one get to read the story of some-
ones life as it unfolds? You are truly courageous for opening
your life to strangers and from what I have read some are very strange.

A late night reader,
Ginger

You really have your finger on the pulse of your readers or maybe you just nailed me.

Jim and family,
I have a story. It’s not important really. I will more likely be taken out by a bus than my illness take me. Through the miracles of medicine and faith, I am cured. I just want you to know you have people praying for you and thinking of you daily in WI. Many hugs.

Deb

I’m out here! I read your article in the paper today and hopped on the newsok site – truly touched by your story and your family. I grew up across the street (well down the street a bit) from your family (corner of Brookline & Madison) and knew your family well. Spent countless afternoons at your house with my sister, Karen and Cindy playing with the bird in Karen’s room, playing video games in the basement, and listening to Annie Lenox in Cindy’s room – also would dog-sit for the poodle when your parents were gone for several days – that dog always made me giggle. You and I never knew each other, but I sure did adore your family. I’m sending prays and warm thoughts your way for hope and healing. Thank you (and your family) for letting us into your life.

I’m still out here in the flooded creeks and rivers whilst holding my head above water.
You still inspire me to live and to take one-day-at-a-time with bipolar disorder, major depressive episodes, and stress and anxiety disorders. Luckily, I’m on a brand new set of psychotropic meds that have put my mental disorders (illnesses?) in remission.
I’m sorry I haven’t commented in a while. I get so sleepy around 10 pm and if I’m still at the computer, I’ve been known to fall asleep in my computer chair.
I’m still praying for you and your family and sending healing thoughts your way. Jim, you really don’t know how much you have inspired me to WANT to live instead of taking my own life. I’m actually feeling blessed when I wake up in the morning because I’ve been given another day to live my life. I’m not much of a spectator anymore; besides, it was getting old and contributing to the exacerbation of my psych disorders.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. I can’t really speak for anyone else but I do want to let you know I feel blessed for stumbling upon your blog.

I can’t promise anything but I will try to comment more frequently.

xoxo,
Dharma

I’ve written a few times and thought about writing more, but I always stopped. I always thought “He doesn’t know you…he doesn’t want to hear from you…he’ll think you’re a crazy stalker.” Reading other people’s comments makes me realize you have a large following of people you don’t know. What’s one more?

I stumbled across your blog by accident. I don’t even remember how I found it. Your entry about the dogs and the comfort they bring you intrigued me. I read more. And more. And more.

I pray for you and your family, hoping you will find a way to beat this, yet I realize it may not happen. I have immense respect for you for being strong, for being honest, and for sharing your life with us.

Thank you.

I’ve been intrigued by your story for several reasons: We are the same age roughly–at least in the same class. We were at OSU at the same time (I was a Pi Phi). I don’t remember ever meeting you, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen–wild and crazy times, you know. And also, I really enjoy your writing style. I’ve never been able to express myself very well in writing and admire those who can. I really do appreciate you sharing your journey with anyone who wants to jump on board. I’ve had my own experience with death–the most devastating, I think–the loss of my only child. It’s hard for me to even talk about it, I certainly can’t imagine blogging it for the world to read. So thank you for your openness, your courage and great spirit.

Rachel,
I think there’s a level of pain that some of us reach in different ways. And I can’t think of anything more painful than the loss of a child. Thank you for this note, which broke my heart, but also encouraged me. Hang in there. You are not alone.

I just figured it out. Why you’re here, I’m here, and we’re talking. We’ve known each other since we were little kids, didn’t talk much for a long time…like people do in every world.

But after I just read this entry, I know why.

I went to college, had Maxine and Noel pay for a fancy Journalism degree. Went on and tried to be a lawyer like you, but couldn’t stand it. I wanted to be creative, not read old cases. I changed professions and proceeded to get all wrapped up in mortgage payments and swimming pools. But all I’ve ever really wanted to do was write. Then I got sick. I knew I was supposed to make some changes, but didn’t know what.

You inspire me, you overwhelm me, I understand everything you’re saying because I’ve lived it. And now, I’ve figured it out. Something is thumping me on the head saying “listen to him, read everything he writes, follow his lead”.

And I’m gonna try to do just that. Because I get it now, my friend.

I’m listening.

Jim,
It’s amazing how cancer binds and bonds us! I too, have a rare form of sarcoma, and am in treatment. I too, am a born and raised Oklahoman, now living in Vegas. A friend of yours, Lisa, who I just met online a few months back, sent your book to me, which I finished reading last night. I could not set it down. What a gift you have! Thank you, for sharing your story and for your honesty about this beast which has become a part of our lives. God Bless you, Jimmy Lee. : ) I have been blessed by knowing about you. Thank you. Brenda K Messenger