One Year Later - Reflections on Survival
The healing that happens after the wound closes
Insights for Empowerment
It’s been a year. Twelve months since I heard, “You have breast cancer.”
It was quiet when they said it. But inside me, everything changed.
That moment split time...before and after. Before the tests. Before the surgery. Before the scars. After the surrender. After the healing. After the fight I never asked for.
But here I am. Still standing. Still learning. Still healing.
Beyond the Diagnosis
What happens after the pink ribbons are folded away? After the well-wishes quiet down? After you’ve made peace with a new body and a new normal?
That’s where I found the real work. Healing the mind. Making room for joy. Letting faith speak louder than fear.
There were days I smiled in public and cried in private. Days I laughed with friends and felt alone by nightfall. And yet...grace held me through it all.
I started seeing life differently. Not as a timeline to rush through, but as a sacred stretch of moments to feel fully.
Pressing Play
One year later, I finally listened to the recording my son made of my diagnosis consultation. I had asked him to record it because I knew I wouldn’t be able to take it all in.
I couldn’t listen to it for a year.
But when I finally pressed play, I didn’t just hear information. I relived a moment that showed me how strong love can be.
I wasn’t alone that day. I was surrounded by people who loved me. And that presence was louder than the diagnosis.
The Mirror
I used to avoid mirrors. I didn’t recognize the reflection anymore.
But over time, I realized that mirror wasn’t showing me loss. It was showing me courage.
What I saw as brokenness, God called beautiful. What I feared would make me less of a woman became proof of my resilience.
I made peace with the mirror. Because every time I look now, I don’t see damage. I see dignity.
Conclusion
Healing didn’t end when the wound closed. It just changed shape.
This isn’t just a “look at me now” post. This is a “walk with me still” invitation.
Because some chapters in your story are meant to teach, not define you. And healing is holy work. It’s okay if it takes time.
Encouraging Nuggets
One Year Later:
You don’t have to look like what you’ve been through
Healing includes falling back in love with the woman you’ve become
The mirror doesn’t define you—it reflects how far you’ve come
Scripture: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm 147:3