My life has suddenly turned into a sequel to It’s A Wonderful Life. I was informed some time ago that Craig (Bacon), Heather (Grimmer), and Scott (Leffler) were going to do something to help offset the huge financial pit that my battle with cancer has already created. I was touched, and I was also kind of surprised. My low self-esteem has caused me to ignore anything positive and focus only on the negative. I didn’t think anyone cared that much about me beyond my family. Apparently, I was wrong.

You want to know how I found out that there was a day at Cornerstone Arena dedicated to helping me get up and out of this pit? I read it on ENP, and that seemed appropriate to me. The thing is that I am still floored by everything that is planned. I had no idea that many people cared, and I had no idea that I was regarded at all by anyone beyond my little circle of close friends. Once again, apparently, I was wrong.

As a writer, it is my job to find the right words to express any type of emotion. Whether it is the infectious energy of happiness that can spread in a room full of people like the ripples created by dropping a stone in a pool of water, or the burning anger that singes at the very soul of people who see only the bad parts of life – my job is to use words good. In this instance, I have none.

I have spent my whole life doing things my way and freely expressing my opinions. Over the last few years, I have learned to think before I speak and edit before I publish, mostly because I have to consider the feelings of others. I honestly thought I had spent my entire career alienating people and pushing people away. Once again, apparently, I was wrong.

I love my city. I make no bones about that. I have tried and tried to do the very best I could for Lockport, and I have butted heads with plenty of people who disagreed with me. I will continue to do that. I will defend Lockport until the last breath in my body. Hopefully, that last breath won’t be for a long time.

I love my city, and I had no idea my city loved me back. I have always had Lockport’s back. I never knew Lockport had mine. This whole thing is pretty overwhelming, and it is probably only going to increase in intensity over the next couple of weeks.

I have to stop at this point and just point out that Craig and Scott are two of the best friends I could ask for. I am very grateful for everyone who is involved in all of this, I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am. But my suspicion is that this all started with those two, and I don’t even know what to say. We have been friends for years, and I want that to continue for some more years to come. We create together, we argue with each other, and we do what we can to help each other. I had someone outside of the three of us tell me that it sounds like the three of us have been friends all of our lives. It feels that way to me. That is kind of how you know when you have found people you share a strong bond with.

I have made a lot of friends thanks to ENP and my own big mouth. I love to write. I will be picking that back up again. I will probably have plenty of time to write while on chemo. I don’t know though, I’ve never done this before.

So, once again, I said I would not write any more cancer articles and here is another one. I honestly just want to get this over, beat this thing, and put it in my rearview so I can get on with all of my other plans. When I was first diagnosed, I remember being a little pessimistic about it. Actually, I was a lot pessimistic. That has changed. The notion I used to have that this would get the best of me is gone, completely. Once again, apparently, I was wrong.

This won’t get the best of me. No matter what happens, this will never get the best of me. I leave my best for my friends and family members. I am overwhelmed. I don’t know how to say thank you enough to everyone. But when I am given the chance at Cornerstone Arena, I am definitely going to try.

+George N Root III is a Lockport resident and damn proud of it. Follow him on Twitter @georgenroot3 or send him a message at georgenroot3@gmail.com. No, cancer is not winning this time.

RELATED LINK: 

• Fundraiser planned for ENP's George Root

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