Taking Care of Yourself is NEVER in Vain

​A client of mine just told me the news – she’s been diagnosed with stage 1 cancer. She’s in shock. No surprise. She’s scared. No surprise. She’s angry. Why? Because she was doing so well. She cried to me, “I’m actually feeling great.” She never ate so healthy before, never exercised and took care of herself so well before, and now this? It doesn’t make sense. It seems so unfair!

“What’s the point? I feel like giving up. Why should I put in any effort to take care of myself if this is what happens?”

This is what I told her: Nothing is in our control, not even our health. But is it all in vain? To feel good? G-d is giving her a tremendous test. On top of the diagnosis, if she was overweight, out of breath, tired, and prediabetic, would it make dealing with the test easier or harder? Harder, of course.

Is all the work she did really in vain?

If someone gave you a beautiful new dress and a child ran up to you and spilled wine on it, is it in your control? If you are given soap and water, can you try to clean it? Even if there’s a wine spill, should you yourself take a pair of scissors and slash the dress?

Does one bad cancel out all the good? Keep doing what you can to feel and be healthy. It’s never in vain.