“Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today, let us begin.” ~Mother Teresa

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As stated on the National Breast Cancer Organization website: "2020 has been a powerful reminder that we are all in this together, and our choices and actions have the power to protect the most vulnerable among us in a big way. The same holds true when it comes to breast cancer."

This year marks my 20th anniversary as a breast-cancer survivor (my surgery was on August 21, 2021). At the time, I was living in Orlando, Florida, and flew to Los Angeles to have my surgery because there was a surgeon who specialized in my type of cancer. After a few weeks, I returned home and was recovering on my living-room sofa with my three adolescent children as I watched 9/11 happen. It was a stressful time—mourning both the loss of my breast as well as the men and women who'd lost their lives on that fateful day. Those were challenging times, but I believe there's a silver lining in every experience. For me, it was that my surgery took place in California, which eventually resulted in my move there in 2006, and it was one of the best decisions of my adult life. I write more about this in my article "My 20th Anniversary as a Cancer Survivor."

This month I send love and prayers to all those now dealing with breast cancer, to all survivors, and to those who we've lost to this dreadful disease.

On another note, I'd like to draw your attention to my article on maintaining a sense of focus. So many of my friends and colleagues have reported that the past 18 months have presented them with many new challenges, one of which is the inability to concentrate. Check out my article, "7 Ways to Get More Focused." It must be an important topic, because Psychology Today elevated it to 'Essential Topic," and I had nearly 5,000 hits. Enjoy the read!