Clayton and I were in the audience at this talk. At the 49:00 minute mark, you’ll hear Michael responding, emotionally, to my monologue about Job and direct question of “Why do we rebuild?” This is the moment when Michael became my Chaplain and I soon joined his Circle of Reflection weekly meetings to sit in holy presence with those living with and dying of cancer.  

I was one of the few caregivers in the group but was welcomed fully, blessed to witness the wisdom, compassion and generosity in those standing on the precipice between life and death. It was a moment, each week, to ask the bigger questions, to wrestle with our impermanence, to listen to and hold each other’s suffering with tenderness.  

For those on the cancer journey, I highly recommend the UCLA Simms Mann Center for Integrative Oncology as a resource for emotional and spiritual support. Their programs are free, most are online and Michael’s Circle of Reflection group is a shelter in the storm.