Greeting Adversity with Style and Grace

Most of us who have been around for a while have learned, one way or another, that what happens to us isn't nearly as important as how we react to what happens to us.

P.J. O'Rourke is one of the finest humorists in the English-speaking world. He has an uncanny ability to condense a great deal of wit and wisdom into a few words. One good example:

"Giving money and power to politicians is like giving whiskey and car keys to teen-age boys."

Recently, P.J. learned that he has cancer, fortunately of a type which can be treated with a high likelihood of success. In his inimitable fashion, he reacted to this most unwelcome development by writing an essay which combines humor and insight, "Give me liberty and give me death." Here's a snippet:

I have, of all the inglorious things, a malignant hemorrhoid. What color bracelet does one wear for that? And where does one wear it? And what slogan is apropos? Perhaps that slogan can be sewn in needlepoint around the ruffle on a cover for my embarrassing little doughnut buttocks pillow.

Furthermore, I am a logical, sensible, pragmatic Republican, and my diagnosis came just weeks after Teddy Kennedy's. That he should have cancer of the brain, and I should have cancer of the ass ... well, I'll say a rosary for him and hope he has a laugh at me. After all, what would I do, ask God for a more dignified cancer? Pancreatic? Liver? Lung?

By all means, go read the whole thing.

Let's pray for P.J.'s complete recovery, and hope that he continues to delight and edify us with his writings for many more years.