This month marks a year since my one year to live project came to an end. And a year since my close childhood friend Marisa died of metastatic breast cancer…. I have some good news to share. I’ve just come back from Marisa’s brother & sister-in-law’s baby shower. Marisa would have been an amazing aunt to this little one, and I like to imagine her smiling at all of us.

What I did not write about was the all-too-real end-of-life journey of my earliest childhood friend Marisa, who was courageously facing metastatic cancer while I went about my hypothetical journey.

Here are the words that we have printed out, hung by our desks, posted on sticky notes on our fridges. Thanks to everyone who sent me quotes, poems and sayings that keep them going and provide inspiration in their lives.

I spent the past couple of days noting how often my children laugh. They’re awesome at it (most of the time). Giggles turn into cracking up, which turns into unstoppable belly laughs. And just when you think they’re done, it starts all over again. I want to recapture this sense of lightness. I want to be amazed by subtlety, and to be reminded not to take this waning life too seriously.