August Column

My Dear Friends,

Happy August!

This month, I want to talk about my father.

While going through his belongings, I came across an old book—a journal where he wrote his private thoughts and favorite words. Among the entries, I found quotes from Dante, Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, and Shakespeare. I haven’t seen this book in over 20 years since he passed away. Sitting among these old boxes and opening his journal, I caught a glimpse of the man he was. Although he was my father, there were still things that surprised me.

“In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself in a dark wood, where the direct way was lost. It is hard to speak of how wild, harsh, and impenetrable that wood was, so that thinking of it recreates the fear. It is scarcely less bitter than death, but in order to tell of the good I found there, I must tell of the other things I saw there.”

This passage was important to him because it’s a metaphor I believe he identified with. At 47, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and those were very dark days for him and for us. After a long struggle, enduring 70 cobalt radiation treatments to his neck and head, and an arduous worldwide search, he formulated an herbal tea. With unyielding faith in himself and God, he survived—going into remission for the rest of his life. He decided to share his message of hope and wanted to help others. To truly convey the utter despair of receiving a terminal diagnosis, fighting, struggling, and ultimately surviving, you have to confront the terrible things that happen during that fight.

I’ll never forget that time in our lives—watching a great man, 6’4″, 230 pounds, whittle down to almost nothing but never give up hope. Seeing him thrive, get better, and regain his health was a testament to his strength and determination. He realized the enormity of what had happened to him, and he spent the rest of his life sharing his story with anyone who would listen, changing lives for the better.

Telling people that cancer doesn’t mean death and that no one can tell you when it’s time to die except God. You’ve got have hope and fight with everything in you. Never give up… no matter what… know that you’ll be OK… you’re responsible for your own health. I think that’s what my father was trying to say.

Now that is a life well-lived.

Have a wonderful month,

Sir Raymond Winters,