With Mayo Clinic oncologist Edward T. Creagan, M.D.

My wife and I recently had the opportunity of visiting our son in the Republic of Cambodia. This country was part of the Vietnam era conflict and suffered extraordinary losses.

Some of the lessons that I learned from the native Khmer people are the kind of lessons we hear on our blog. For example, the notion of community and connectedness. Unlike our modern supermarkets, the markets in Cambodian towns were meeting places to share common interests and concerns. Despite the grinding poverty, there was a joy among these people. Second, a deep sense of spirituality through the Buddhist tradition. Temples, monks, and religious shrines are a constant reminder that life is transient, and there is another dimension to our humanity.

We also learned the value of keeping a steady focus on the day in front of us and not becoming too distracted by issues in the future, which, after all, may never materialize. This does not mean that we become like the grasshopper and simply play all day, but it does mean a responsible acknowledgment to take care of ourselves physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Because after all, if our health deteriorates, we have marginal reserves to deal with some of life's unfairness.

So, what I have learned is that there is joy in the face of adversity and yes, we are captains of our souls and our attitude can determine the goodness of each day. It is not the problems and issues that grind us down, but how we deal with those challenges.

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