We welcome back one of our previous guests, David Moriah! Embark on a profound journey into David's relationship with religion and faith, specifically uncovering how his unwavering faith became a guiding light through his cancer experience. The radiant blend of optimism and vulnerability in this episode offers invaluable lessons for us all. Don't miss out—tune in and be inspired by David's compelling story.
See our previous episode with David here.
About our guest
David Moriah has lived 72 abundantly blessed years and is fiercely determined to extend the streak in the face of a “stage 4, incurable” diagnosis. He is a husband of 48 years, a father of two and a grandfather of two and a half. That’s more important than what he’s done for a living. As for that, he spent his 20s as a wilderness instructor for Outward Bound and is the founding director of Cornell University’s outdoor education program. He hosts a blog at CaringBridge, “Adventures in ChemoLand”, and he is a passionate advocate for staying fit while undergoing treatment, and looking out for “God Winks”, those moments of joy and reassurance that we are not alone in this sometimes scary and foreboding journey.
Key Moments
18 minutes:
On finding peace in the future.
But whatever it is, whatever that afterlife is, I have a peace and assurance that I'm gonna be okay, that the Creator’s gonna take care of me. I don't know what it's gonna look like, but I am so at peace about this. And there's a line in the Christian Bible that talks about the peace that passes all understanding.
30 minutes:
On listening to your gut.
I want to urge everyone to take the extra step, make sure you're checking out your symptoms. Don't poo it… No, no, treat yourself right.
48 minutes:
On finding purpose.
My main purpose right now that I'm feeling is telling my story, for those who want to hear it. To tell my story and hopefully help people in their journeys. And then the other is just to take advantage of every moment, every day. Every opportunity to be with my kids and grandkids and just to go out and enjoy that beautiful sunset that The Creator gave me.
YouTube Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
16:40 - Faith and its Impact
David's faith is explored as a powerful gift of trust in The Creator.
23:03 - What is a Godwink?
A reminder (whether it’s big or small) that the universe is on your side regardless of what you’re going through.
29:41 - Treat Yourself Right
David’s advice to everyone is to listen to your body. Trust your gut if you feel that something isn’t right, it could save you.
31:24 - The Survivor Population
The anxiety around cancer spreading/returning when a symptom pops up, and how murky it gets from wanting to monitor your health to routine anxiety from past experiences.
35:41 - I Don’t Use the C Word
The words we choose to discuss our situations can be inaccurate, and even problematic. David uses NED (no evidence of disease) and healing verses “survivor,” as something to strive towards.
36:44 - A Unique Approach to Faith
David shares what some would call an unorthodox way of practicing religion daily, and discusses the cons of institutionalizing religious-based community.
44:17 - What Legacy Do You Aspire to Create?
We delve into what David wants to be remembered for, and the sense of purpose he gets from sharing his journey to an audience.
49:30 - Thank you David!
We thank David again, for sharing the fruits of his story that we can all eat from.
Youtube Tags:
healing from cancer, faith, The Creator, can you cure cancer, just got diagnosed with cancer, terminal cancer diagnosis
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