27-year-old girl who lost her life to cancer left behind final advice that has left the world in tears
A very special woman from Australia named Holly Butcher has sadly left us.
The 27-year-old was struck down with Ewing’s sarcoma, a vicious bone cancer type that mostly affects the young. Holly’s brother, Dean confirmed the tragic news in a Facebook post.
“It is with great sadness that we announce Holly’s passing in the early hours of this morning,” he wrote on Jan. 4, 2018. “After enduring so much, it was finally time for her to say goodbye to us all. The end was short and peaceful; she looked serene when we kissed her forehead and said our final farewells. As you would expect, Holly prepared a short message for you all, which will be posted above.”
Holly’s special message, which Dean and his partner Luke posted shortly after, has brought the world to tears.
Her heartfelt and beautiful post has so far amassed an astounding 285,000 likes and 188,000 shares, and we believe it needs to live on for more people to read and be inspired.
Holly’s message is titled ‘A bit of life advice from Hol’ and was written on January 3, 2018.
She used her final words to look back and draw from the lessons she learned in her short but fulfilled life, offering priceless advice to those who might need it.
“It’s a strange thing to [realize] and accept your mortality at 26 years young,” she opened. “I always imagined myself growing old, wrinkled and gray — most likely caused by the beautiful family (lots of kiddies) I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts. That’s the thing about life; It is fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right.”
Holly’s soulful post should be read in its entirety. But here are 16 of the most important lessons:
1. “I just want people to stop worrying so much about the small, meaningless stresses in life and try to remember that we all have the same fate after it all,
so do what you can to make your time feel worthy and great, minus the bullshit. … Those times you are [whining] about ridiculous things (something I have noticed so much these past few months), just think about someone who is really facing a problem. Be grateful for your minor issue and get over it. It’s OK to acknowledge that something is annoying but try not to carry on about it and negatively affect other people’s days.”
2. “Once you do that, get out there and take a freaking big breath of that fresh Aussie air deep in your lungs, look at how blue the sky is and how green the trees are; It is so beautiful.
Think how lucky you are to be able to do just that — breathe. You might have got caught in bad traffic today, or had a bad sleep because your beautiful babies kept you awake, or your hairdresser cut your hair too short. … I swear you will not be thinking of those things when it is your turn to go. It is all SO insignificant when you look at life as a whole. I’m watching my body waste away right before my eyes with nothing I can do about it and all I wish for now is that I could have just one more birthday or Christmas with my family, or just one more day with my partner and dog. Just one more.”
3. “I hear people complaining about how terrible work is or about how hard it is to exercise — be grateful you are physically able to.
Work and exercise may seem like such trivial things … until your body doesn’t allow you to do either of them. .. Appreciate your good health and functioning body — even if it isn’t your ideal size. Look after it and embrace how amazing it is.”
4. “Give, give, give. It is true that you gain more happiness doing things for others than doing them for yourself. I wish I did this more.
Since I have been sick, I have met the most incredibly giving and kind people and been the receiver of the most thoughtful and loving words and support from my family, friends and strangers; more than I could ever give in return. I will never forget this and will be forever grateful to all of these people.”
5. “This year, our family agreed to do no presents and despite the tree looking rather sad and empty (I nearly cracked Christmas Eve!), it was so nice because people didn’t have the pressure of shopping and the effort went into writing a nice card for each other.
Plus, imagine my family trying to buy me a present knowing they would probably end up with it themselves … strange! … but those cards mean more to me than any impulse purchase could. … Anyway, moral of the story — presents are not needed for a meaningful Christmas.”
6. “Use your money on experiences
… or at least don’t miss out on experiences because you spent all your money on material shit. Put in the effort to do that day trip to the beach you keep putting off. Dip your feet in the water and dig your toes in the sand. Wet your face with salt water.”
7. “Try just enjoying and being in moments rather than capturing them through the screen of your phone.
Life isn’t meant to be lived through a screen nor is it about getting the perfect photo.”
8. “Listen to music … really listen. Music is therapy.”
9. “Cuddle your dog. Far out, I will miss that.”
10. “Talk to your friends. Put down your phone. Are they doing OK?”
11. “Travel if it’s your desire, don’t if it’s not.”
12. “Work to live, don’t live to work.”
13. “Seriously, do what makes your heart feel happy.”
14. “Don’t feel pressured to do what other people might think is a fulfilling life.
You might want a mediocre life and that is so OK.”
15. “Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have.”
16. “Oh and one last thing. If you can, do a good deed for humanity (and myself) and start regularly donating blood.
It will make you feel good with the added bonus of saving lives. Blood donation (more bags than I could keep up with counting) helped keep me alive for an extra year — a year I will be forever grateful that I got to spend here on Earth with my family, friends and dog. A year I had some of the greatest times of my life.”
A bit of life advice from Hol:
It’s a strange thing to realise and accept your mortality at 26 years young. It’s just…
Posted by Holly Butcher on Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Holly may have left this world, but her wonderful words and spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of the people she touched.
“I cried when I saw the word “Til we meet again”.
I was afraid of death recently.I wasn’t able to believe the world after death.But when I saw the word, I really felt like you are over there and I was able to believe that there is a posthumous world.
I got the energy to live.
Thanks Holly.
Let me say hello when I go there.
Til we meet again” one Facebook user commented.
Another person wrote:
“Thank you for your advice Holly. I’m going to wake up tomorrow doing things differently ❤️“
Rest in peace, dear Holly. We wish you eternal happiness.
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