A Fighting Spirit

The commentary - "A Fighting Spirit Won't Save Your Life" - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/opinion/25sloan.html?_r=1&nl=todayshea... - in the "New York Times" this week, made me think of all the people I talk with each week. Every week, in one way or another, I hear about the role that one's attitude can play on the journey - with cancer and simply throughout life. The author, a professor at Columbia University Medical Center, certainly makes some valid points about the way we too often look at illness and suffering – for example, he reminds us that very strong and positive people still die and states that it is "unconscionable" to claim that when a person gets a disease is somehow always their fault. But I also believe that he fails to address a vital aspect of the role that attitude and determination can play - how it affects the quality of a person’s life. Whether or not the length of one’s life is long and/or physically vibrant, the way in which one approaches, reacts to and responds to life’s deepest challenges can make the ultimate difference in the way joy is experienced and life’s purpose is appreciated.

I invite you to comment on this subject. There is certainly much that can be said, much that can be discussed. Please write to me to share your perspectives and your thoughts on the roles that optimism, attitude, a "fighting spirit" and outlook play in your life and on this journey. What are your beliefs? What is your experience? How valuable is attitude to the length and quality of a life? Thank you.