One Courageous Lady
April 3rd, 2007 by Michael van der Galien
For those wondering how courageous Elizabeth Edwards is, I’d say, read this article at Newsweek. Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter sat down with Elizabeth at the Edwardses’ new house in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Some excerpts:
“When I was first diagnosed, I was going to beat this. I was going to be the champion of cancer. And I don’t have that feeling now. The cancer will eventually kill me. It’s going to win this fight. I come from a family of women who live into their 90s, so it’s taken something real from me. There was a time during the day when we were getting test results when I felt more despair than I ever felt in any of the time I had the breast cancer. I have a lot that I intend to do in this life. We’re here at the house. I’m going to build paths through these woods so we can take long walks that I intended to take when I was 80.”
“You didn’t lose your faith, you changed your faith? Or did you lose it for a time?
I’m not praying for God to save me from cancer. I’m not. God will enlighten me when the time comes. And if I’ve done the right thing, I will be enlightened. And if I believe, I’ll be saved. And that’s all he promises me.”
“What do you say to the Rush Limbaughs of the world who have the nerve to judge how you should cope with your disease?
Words don’t bother me. If John had pulled out of the race, they would have said, “Oh, he was failing in this race and this was just an excuse to get out.” This is a no-win situation with those folks, and you just have to accept it. But what you hate is that other people might listen and say, “Oh, that’s right, it’s our job to tell them what is right.” There’s going to be a day before each of us die, and you have to think a little bit about how you want that day filled. Maybe when you’re doing that judging thing, think about how you want the day before you die to look. I want that to be a productive day about which I am enormously proud, as opposed to a day where I had the covers pulled up over my head. That’s unbelievably important to me. And if somebody is judging me, and doesn’t hear me say that, maybe it’s partly my fault for not saying it clearly and maybe it’s their fault for not thinking about it.”
Read more at Newsweek.
I am interested in hearing more about how the loss of her son, and her own disease, changed her perception of God. The problem with that is, though, that I also fear that her words in this regard will be used against her by Edwards’ political opponents. In love, war, and politics all is fair I presume.
Quite a fascinating read and a remarkable lady.
Cross posted at my own blog.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007 at 6:11 am and is filed under Elizabeth Edwards, 2008 Elections. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
April 3rd, 2007 at 7:43 am
I’d say that all is not fair, but that in any case all is USED.
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:01 am
“… The cancer will eventually kill me. It’s going to win this fight. … I’m going to build paths through these woods so we can take long walks that I intended to take when I was 80.â€?
What a mature attitude.
And,
“If John had pulled out of the race, they would have said, ‘Oh, he was failing in this race and this was just an excuse to get out.’”
[silence]
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:14 am
The sad part is that I am sure that what Elizabeth said is true.
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:38 am
> The sad part is that I am sure that what Elizabeth said is true.
That’s what shut me, a cynical critic of politicians, including John Edwards, up.
I don’t listen to talk shows any more but I have enough experience in the past listening to them while on the road — what she said is true. Don’t forget that even if the talk show hosts didn’t say it, Ann Coulter might have.
April 4th, 2007 at 4:27 am
She’s a class act. Regardless of what party her husband belongs to and what office he’s running for. I wish them all the best as they continue together.