Playing with fire…

In the winter of 2000 I was first diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer.  I can remember the call when I first heard the dreaded “C” word directed my way.  I had lost my father to cancer in 1996 so the wound was still fairly fresh.  

I knew about the need for sunscreen when I was a kid.  My Dad was a doctor and my Mom a nurse, so I had heard all about it.  I applied this knowledge somewhat sparingly.  I wasn’t disciplined. I got burned. I didn’t think that much about it at the time. After the first cut, however, my behavior changed. 

Deeply changed.

The sun damage I’ve accumulated all these years cannot be reversed.  All that can be done is what I’m doing.  Limit my exposure and apply sunscreen like a banchee.  I would love to go back and rewrite my “suns” history, but time does not allow. I took too long to apply what I knew.  I took too long to deeply change.  I got burned.

You, most likely, know a behavior of yours needs to change. You probably know how to change. You probably even want to change. You may even be kinda changing it as you read this rant. The problem is your application is a little spotty and your discipline not quite deep enough to cut it out at its root.

Do you know what I mean? Do you understand you too are playing with fire? The consequences may be delayed for decades but the consequences are coming. You have a choice facing you. You can either deeply change or prepare to be badly burned.  

You choose. Your choices have consequences. Thirty five cuts later – I’m still counting some of mine…