A friend sent this to me in an e-mail. Sorry, there was no url included. Exceptional writing and excellent advice from a young person writing about what her illness has taught her (I'm assuming).
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This poem was written by a terminally ill young girl in a New York Hospital. It is being e-mailed by a medical doctor. Make sure to read the closing statement AFTER THE POEM.

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun as it faded from sight?

You better slow down; don't dance so fast.
Time is short; the music won't last.

Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask "How are you"?, do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed
With the next day's chores running through your head?

You'd better slow down; don't dance so fast.
Time is short; the music won't last.

Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow"?
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die,
'Cause you never had time to call and say,"Hi"?

You'd better slow down; don't dance so fast.
Time is short; the music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere,
You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift...thrown away.

Life is not a race; do take it slower
Hear the music before the song is over.

FORWARDED E-MAILS ARE TRACKED TO OBTAIN THE TOTAL COUNT.

Dear All:

PLEASE pass this mail on to everyone you know - even to those you don't know! It is the request of a special girl who will soon leave this world due to cancer. This young girl has 6 months left to live, and as her dying wish, she wanted to send a letter telling everyone to live their life to the fullest, since she never will. She'll never make it to prom, graduate from high school, or get married and have a family of her own. By you sending this to as many people as possible, you can give her and her family a little hope, because with every name that this is sent to, The American Cancer Society will donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery plan. One guy sent this to 500 people! So I know that we can at least send it to 5 or 6. It's not even
your money, just your time! PLEASE PASS ON AS A LAST REQUEST.

Dr. Dennis Shields, Professor
Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, New York 10461

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"In war, there is no alternative but to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end. There is no substitute for victory. War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision." General Douglas MacArthur

“Democratic civilization is the first in history to blame itself because another power is trying to destroy it.” Jean-Francois Revel