I just returned from Toronto to be with my sister, Cathy, who had just had breast cancer surgery. I was there to spend the week with her following the surgery.

I’m so glad I did.

One night she was experiencing severe pain in her right breast. The pain escalated to the point where it was acute. She panicked, passed out, then seemed to have a seizure. Called 911. I followed the ambulance to Emergency, and I spend the night with her getting checked and treated.

The results were that she had a strain that swelled and caused the pain. All x-rays showed that she was okay. They sent her home with pain meds.

While at her bedside in Emerge, when the pain would spike, she would start crying and saying that she didn’t want to die. I would try to comfort her. I would assure her I would stay with her.

Beliefs are real.

When someone says to me they’re afraid of going to Hell… I mean literally terrified and can’t sleep… it does me no good to tell them there’s no such thing as Hell and that they’re silly to believe it. To them it’s real. Very real. The fear is real too.

I will not try to make them feel stupid, ashamed, or wrong.

But what I can do is comfort them and assure them that I’m with them while they wrestle with this idea.

One day, hopefully, the results will come in and they will see that’s there’s nothing to be afraid of.