Slowing Down in Houston — John Drage | Living with Brain Cancer

Old police car Amy and I saw on our drive to Houston this afternoon.

Until three weeks ago my life was just humming along. The spring semester of 2019 at Mizzou was starting to gain speed. As a pastor, I was planning and meeting with people, leading my team, and dreaming of what could be. If you know me you know that I am a driven, fast-paced guy who likes to get a lot done! My friends are all laughing as they read that line! At the college church I pastor we were about to get some new projects rolling. We are always trying to figure out new ways to engage more students on campus. Over the last couple years I knew deep down that I needed to slow down. I like speed, I like results, I like to see things happen, but a little whispering internal voice has lately been saying ‘slow down.’ Sadly, I am just now learning that I am not as cooperative as I ought to be.

As I post this I am currently driving to Houston, home of MD Anderson cancer treatment center. One of our main reasons to get treatment at MD Anderson in Houston is that it is 13 hours from home. This sounds crazy, but part of the beauty in going so far from home is that it will help me in this slowing down process. The word we have been using to describe going to Houston is “extraction”. In order to establish this healthy new rhythm I believe leaving ‘busy’ Columbia is the key.

My wife, Amy, has sweetly begun calling this 7 week trip a second honeymoon. That might sound strange but this is what she means. We realized that by calling it our second honeymoon we would do the things during the time that were fun and adventurous like when we were on our first honeymoon. Amy and I have talked so much about life the last 13 days of being a cancer guy. One of the things we do now is live as much life as we can everyday. Therefore, we are doing our second honeymoon these next 7 weeks.

One novel idea we have for the Houston days is to buy a used tandem bicycle. If you know me you know I can’t shut up about my bikes! I average 2500 to 3000 miles a year. Amy wants to ride with me and the best way we thought this could happen is to ride on the same bike. She just told me she would like matching cycling jerseys (pictures to come)! We are going to hunt down cool places on the beach to walk and talk and be together. I sure hope I cooperate by breathing deeply. I want to soak it all in rather than just running fast. This challenge is not about the speed of my feet, but the speed of my heart.