"I saw a movie recently - Miracle at St. Anna -
   a Spike Lee movie.  It had some lines I really
   liked.  At the end, a character was talking
   about how there is no control in life -
   wherever you go or try to hide, there are
   risks.  And yet we expend so much energy
   and resources to maintain an illusion of
   control and safety.  Here's the quote I liked:

   'Safety is the greatest risk of all, because
      safety leaves no room for miracles.  And
    miracles are the only sure thing in life.'

   "One thing I am learning well with this
    cancer is that miracles abound in all the
    messiness and unpredictability of life.
    Safety, as we commonly think of it on this
    earth (physical safety, financial security, etc)
    is impermanent and can disappear in the
    blink of an eye.  And yet, at the core of our
    being, we are always safe.  Even when 'bad'
    things are happening.

   "When we learn to perceive from the highest
    part of ourselves, we find peace and
    assurance.  For me this is the miracle -
    the sure thing.  I'd like to be a lot better at
    tuning into this.  I can't say that I'm all that
    skilled at it yet.  But I'm willing to keep
    learning.  And I'm getting plenty of learning
    opportunities these days.  Practice makes
    perfect, as they say."