The great philosophical lesson I think I have learned is that “Perception is NOT Reality”. I have always used the phrase “Perception is Reality” and referred to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, smugly interpreting it for people unfamiliar. It was not until the fear of losing my soul mate , my wife, my love Tessie , that I realized the true meaning. I would always relate it to the common conundrum of a person trying to understand why they were misunderstood or not appreciated, and what they could do to change the reality or perception of others. I have now been enlightened  It is now obvious to me that I am an idiot. Mine and Tessie’s Perception/Reality was that her moms  cancer and death was from second hand smoke, that is what the doctors told her ,so  if she didn’t smoke and basically ate right and her sisters didn’t have cancer she was safe. Our reality was  DNA. Perception is what a single person chooses to believe , base their decisions on and has nothing to do with Reality. I am an idiot. Everything I have learned about cancer in the last few months has been there for years , my knowledge has completely changed my Perception and has not altered our Reality, it has increased our awareness. I have read the allegory hundreds of times and only now have paid attention to one of the last paragraphs.

“And now consider what would happen if such a man were to descend again and seat himself on his old seat? Coming so suddenly out of the sun, would he not find his eyes blinded with the gloom of the place?

   Certainly, he would.

   And if he were forced to deliver his opinion again, touching the shadows aforesaid, and to enter the lists against those who had always been prisoners, while his sight continued dim and his eyes unsteady, – and if this process of initiation lasted a considerable time, – would he not be made a laughingstock, and would it not be said of him, that he had gone up only to come back again with his eyesight destroyed, and that it was not worth while even to attempt the ascent? And if anyone endeavored to set them free and carry them to the light, would they not go so far as to put him to death, if they could only manage to get him into their power?”

I always focused on the fact that the prisoner became enlightened and gained awareness and a different and I thought better Perception and changed his Reality, and I was very pleased with myself in comprehending this. The revelation to me now is that the experience(awareness) that changed his Perception of his Perception , did not change his Reality, it simply  made him aware  of his  incorrect awarement  and led to a quicker death.  Apparently Perception is Perception and changes frequently, based on your current awareness  and Reality is a constant and unchanging.  How can it change , since as soon as you think about it it’s gone. Changing your Perception can prolong your ability to experience(gain knowledge/awareness) of  Reality , it does not change Reality. I have been pondering lately if “Awareness  is Reality”

In any event I have endeavored to increase our awareness of awarement regarding cancer and prolong our ability to experience reality.