Tomorrow at 3:30PM I will be graduating with my four year degree in Behavioral Science. I feel accomplished, but not completely satisfied. I plan to continue my education with a graduate program, either Mental Health Counseling or Doctorate of Psychology. I will be applying to multiple schools within the next few months, and hopefully one will feel right.

Events like earning my four year degree feel like milestones, not because of the time and effort I have put in to the work, but because I am graduating after surviving lung cancer. Many events in my life feel just this way - defeating cancer is always more prevalent than the current accomplishment. It is not something that I think about all the time, it doesn't consume my life, but when I really think about life in general it is a thought that often occurs.

As I reflect on life at the moment, I wonder if my thought process about cancer and current events will always remain the same. I have a strong reservation about it changing, which I hope it doesn't ever. I'd like to think my thought process helps me stay focused on many of my goals in life, the ones relating to lung cancer mostly. What are my life goals for lung cancer? Well, that is simple - a cure. However, I would accept a temporary IOU with increased funding for advanced research, better public education and defeated stigma, and an increased 5 year survival rate by at least 50%.

One step at a time.