That’s a lyric from John Lennon’s song “Beautiful Boy”. It’s a line that stuck with me throughout Matt’s illness. Matt had his whole future planned out in front of him: starting a family, moving to a new city, embarking on a career. Then life happened.
Thankfully, Matt consciously made a decision after his diagnosis not to put everything in his life on pause. He and his wife had always wanted to adopt a dog after completing their residencies, and instead of giving up on that plan, they did just the opposite. COVID delayed things a bit – since everyone wanted a pet back then – but eventually they managed to connect with a breeder and land a pup. Even though Matt was only able to enjoy his new friend for just a few months, it brought him so much happiness.
Sometimes when circumstances intervene in our lives we put things on hold. I suppose that’s inescapable at times, but if you’re like me, we do it much too often. Acceptance & Commitment therapy asks us to not only focus on our values, but to act on them. Even in the midst of his cancer, Matt did precisely that. It wasn’t easy for him, but it allowed him to find purpose and satisfaction in every day. As he wrote in one of his journal entries:
“We have been blessed with bravery to continue to follow our goals and dreams. We can get a dog. We can go out on a date. I can exercise. We have faced similar challenges and know how to navigate them!“
Even though life happens, we can still pursue what’s important to us.
Thanks for showing us how to do that Matt. Cute pup!