{"id":2502,"date":"2025-09-03T13:59:26","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T17:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/?p=2502"},"modified":"2025-09-03T13:59:26","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T17:59:26","slug":"life-happens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/03\/life-happens\/","title":{"rendered":"LIFE HAPPENS!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LIFE HAPPENS!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throughout my ongoing war with cancer, I keep fighting my battles armored with God\u2019s strength. My faith and belief are the backbone of my resilience. Since my procedure back in mid-July, I\u2019ve been taking the time to recuperate, mentally and physically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Funny thing, I think this is one of my first posts in a while that isn\u2019t poetic. Lol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It wasn\u2019t depression I was dealing with\u2026 more like the uneasiness of what\u2019s next. What new treatments are coming for this third cancer? What road am I about to walk down now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever befalls me, I will meet it the same way I always have\u2014with faith, fight, and the will to keep on keeping on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If I\u2019ve learned anything in the last 10 years, it\u2019s that life can be blissful no matter the circumstances. When your eyes are truly open, you begin to witness just how much beauty surrounds you every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I will keep rising, keep believing, and keep walking this valley with my head lifted high, because even in the fight, life itself is still a gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Peace and blessings!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"2467\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LIFE HAPPENS! Throughout my ongoing war with cancer, I keep fighting my battles armored with God\u2019s strength. My faith and belief are the backbone of my resilience. Since my procedure back in mid-July, I\u2019ve been taking the time to recuperate, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-living-life-with-cancer"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8zBYf-Em","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2578,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/16\/growing-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":2502,"position":0},"title":"growing faith","author":"Michael","date":"July 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"my faith is so stronglook in the mirror to seenow ever growing then what shall i do?live without having belief?i do not think so! cancer taught me howi see beauty everywheremy eyes are opened so i ride my bikeand lift my head to the skynow i see farther now i\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8809.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":198,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2017\/07\/05\/15-recapitulation\/","url_meta":{"origin":2502,"position":1},"title":"Recapitulation!","author":"Michael","date":"July 5, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I'm now just beginning my 3rd year of treatment something occurred to me. \u00a0Mind you, I'm still here through the grace of God but it goes much deeper than that. The simple fact is that I've made it this far in my life\u00a0only through the grace of God! There\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2572,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/29\/eleven-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":2502,"position":2},"title":"ELEVEN YEARS!","author":"Michael","date":"June 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Eleven years ago today, I received what I believed at the time was a death sentence: Stage IV lung cancer. It was not. Ironically, I walked out of that doctor\u2019s office with my head held high. But as I turned the corner and began the quarter-mile walk home\u2026 the tears\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2594,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/13\/nature-of-the-game\/","url_meta":{"origin":2502,"position":3},"title":"nature of the game","author":"Michael","date":"September 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"in life i tread lightlyi say my prayers nightlynothing is ever the same my days i live brightlyeach thing i do rightlysuch is the nature of the game to love so mightilyit means so much to mepins and needles in my brain so i always tread lightlywhile speaking eruditelyliving with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2574,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/03\/talking-only-to-the-wind\/","url_meta":{"origin":2502,"position":4},"title":"talking only to the wind","author":"Michael","date":"July 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"when riding in the parktalking only to the windi require no voice to answerquestions that live within how many sunrises are left?how will my surgery go?what is next to see?will the seeds i\u2019ve planted grow? though grateful, purpose i still craveas time spins toward this waiting graveforever waning while i\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_9024-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2560,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/29\/havent-posted-lately\/","url_meta":{"origin":2502,"position":5},"title":"HAVEN\u2019T POSTED LATELY!","author":"Michael","date":"May 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I have not been posting lately for a very simple reason. My concentration has been focused on my second book, CANCER\u2019S GIFT:THE GIFT OF AWARENESSFurther Conversations of a Walking Dead Man I know the title is a mouthful, but once you read the introduction, you will understand exactly what this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2502"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2503,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502\/revisions\/2503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}