It's Not Harder Than Cancer Love

In All Things, Balance

My book has been published and is available for digital download!

It’s a dream come true for me. I’ve wanted to write a book since I read Catcher in the Rye in high school.

As it turns out, I’m not good at writing fiction, but telling non-fiction stories is absolutely in my wheelhouse. That’s why I was a reporter for so many years before jumping to public relations.

At 5:30 a.m. (I keep odd hours through the night, a leftover effect from chemotherapy), I posted a link to my book’s Amazon page. Awesome, right? Over the course of the morning, Facebook blew up with excitement from my friends and family.

Three-and-a-half hours later, I get a phone call. Our friend in Dayton, Ohio. Calling to say his long-term girlfriend/domestic partner has had a massive heart attack. She’s not going to make it. Can we find his sister, whose health is not good, and tell her so she hears it from someone face-to-face and so we’re there if she needs help?

Of course, I agree and Sarah and I finished getting ready for the day and head out to find our friend.

The experience was reminiscent of a cold midnight hour in December 1990. Racine, Wisconsin. My dad had just died at home. As the oldest son the task had fallen to me to tell my grandparents their only child was dead. I still remember my grandmother’s robe billowing behind her as she came down the back stairs to let me in, a look of fear already on her face. My grandparents’s wails still ring in my ears.

This morning, we connected with our friend and shared the news. Troubling, but not entirely unexpected, so she handled the news better than we anticipated.

Going from the joy of publication to carrying out a difficult errand made for a surreal morning, but life is like that.

Always finding the balance.

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2 Comments

  • Reply
    Deanna Tipton
    February 22, 2015 at 11:06 pm

    Michael, it’s great! I read it today and it’s a great book! I’m sorry you had to have the subject matter, but you did a great job!

    You probably don’t remember us but Ricky & I were in Jeannette Brown’ s class at the SBC mega church. I had no idea so much had happened in your life since we’d last seen each other. I’m thankful you came out stronger and wiser!

    • Reply
      Michael Holtz
      February 23, 2015 at 1:10 pm

      Deanna, thank you so much. I do remember you. I hope you are well. It’s been a wild ride the last few years, but in the end there is so much for which to be grateful. Thank you for your sweet comments, and for your review of the book. I appreciate it. Perhaps we will see each other again soon.

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