Blooming in adversity

3-26-09 homage brain

My daffodils have pushed themselves up out of the ground…. No yellow blooms yet, but I love seeing these bulbs point the way towards spring. Daffodils are also a special symbol for cancer research. The American Cancer Society for more than 35 years has had a fundraising program called “Daffodil Days”. Each spring in March the Society offers daffodils to donors in appreciation for a contribution. Bunches of daffodils can be sent to friends, family members, and people touched by cancer to share the message of hope and raising funds and awareness to help defeat cancer.

My friend Molly lost two friends to cancer this month, so she is not feeling so great about March this year. However, Molly did brighten my day last weekend by bringing Greg and I a vase of daffodils for our new home and we put them on the fireplace mantle to be admired.



I have loved doing several paintings of daffodils over the years…… This one is a pastel from 2008….. but the most special one I created was during some of my first art classes around 1998.... for my friend Robin and the story that I wrote from this is still one of my favorites. The picture was just a sketch using white conte pencil on a dark green paper… it never did photograph very well….. but I hope you get the idea.



“Blooming in Adversity”
~Celebration of Cancer Survivors~
(Inspired by, and dedicated to Robin)
by Judy Sebern Beachy




A SIMPLE SKETCH FOR MY FRIEND: My hand offering a bouquet of daffodils; An extended hand reaching to express my love and support for her; A trembling hand fearful of touching her pain. My friend is struggling with aggressive and advanced breast cancer diagnosed at age 40 on her initial baseline mammogram. Chemotherapy, surgery, radiation treatments and possible bone marrow transplant awaited her.

Sharing life’s struggles and pain is not always easy. We tend to hide it from others. We want always to project strength and control over difficult situations. Allowing ourselves to feel another’s pain and watching them struggle is equally difficult. We don’t like being clumsy with words and feeling helpless or worthless when we can’t solve the problem, clean up the mess, or cure the ailment.

However, sharing life’s adversities is a gift we can give each other. If we fail to do so, then we miss experiencing the beauty of the struggle, the beauty of being human, and the beauty of love. We also miss seeing the beauty blossom when courage and hope grow out of the fear and pain.

MY FRIEND IS A CANCER SURVIVOR: So this simple sketch, my hand extended with these vibrant spring flowers, is also offered in gratitude, for the sharing, for the inspiration and for the hope my friend is giving to me, by allowing me to watch as she BLOOMS IN ADVERSITY!