You take the good, you take the bad, you take 'em both and there you have...The Facts of Life

Life sure is funny sometimes. Yesterday I heard some bad news about two people close to me. In a dark way I am relieved to hear that they have and were diagnosed with their health issues. The diagnoses give them the ability to confront their issues. Do the ends justify the means? This time they do. While I'd rather not have either person be alerted to things of concern in either fashion, it's infinitely better than the alternatives.

In one case, the person received just about the grandest warning sign that something is wrong with his health without serious complications. He will finally get the tests completed that have been asked of him for so long and maybe, just maybe, this will be the wakeup call that he finally answers. I sure hope so. The phone call I got last night could have been infinitely worse, but it wasn't. With this diagnosis, I want to believe that he'll take the steps necessary to ensure that that call won't be needed. I'm relieved that he has even been given this chance to right the wrong that has taken its toll for many years.

In the other case, the person's diagnosis allowed him to avoid putting himself in harm's way when he would've wrongly been there in the first place. It also alerted him and his close affiliates to the need of more help. Nobody wants to hear a disappointing diagnosis, but it's better to be diagnosed and get the requisite help than not at all. The larger issue is he now has the chance to fix things in the first place.

In both cases, their diagnoses aren't necessarily welcome or even surprising news, but both (diagnoses) give them the opportunities (time) to ultimately treat their issues and make full recoveries. Bad news can be good news when it means the bad news doesn't become grave news. Life sure is funny sometimes - thank God for that.