Importance

My experience of being terminally ill has made some things seem less important to me, while other things have retained their importance.

Some things that seem less important now:

1. Money/finances. On April 15 (Tax Day) of last year I put $5000 in my retirement account (IRA). That was the last financial decision I've made. In May I was diagnosed and since then I really don't care about money/finances. I'm not claiming that money doesn't matter - it does. Being poor - really not having enough for your needs - is stressful and can make you unhappy. But being rich, research shows, does not make you happy. If I had millions of dollars now, I don't think I'd be any happier. If given a choice between health and wealth, I recommend health. As they say, you can't take money with you.

2. Politics/foreign affairs/most things in the news. I feel a little guilty about this, because I think many of these things are important, but when I read or hear about the latest squabble in the Senate or calamity overseas they seem very abstract. Perhaps that's because I feel rather powerless to change anything outside my immediate surroundings.

Some things that still seem important:

1. Love. Many people have argued that the meaning of life lies in love, and I agree. Loving others, and being loved, is the deepest and most meaningful experience available to us. When all else is stripped away, that remains.

2. Sports. I'm not claiming that sports matters in any deep sense. I just mean that sports has been a consolation to me. Playing sports, particularly basketball for me, makes exercise fun, and exercise is good for you mentally and physically. Watching and talking about sports is entertaining and can be a bonding experience, particularly for guys.

Speaking of sports, the first practice for Seth's YMCA basketball team is tomorrow morning. I am co-coaching his team, as I have for the past few years, with my friend Michael Parke, whose son Will is also on the team. The season runs until February 26 and gives me another thing to look forward to.

Ethan