The Silent Type

I spent the week between my third and fourth rounds of chemo in complete silence — with a shaved head, a queasy stomach, and 30 strangers who weren’t allowed to speak to me. It wasn’t my first silent meditation retreat, but it was the first one I’d attended while actively battling cancer. I’d been on the fence about going, as these retreats had proven personally difficult in the past, and I had more than enough to deal with. But when my chemo schedule aligned with a retreat titled “Practicing Amidst Life’s Challenges,” it felt a little too on-the-nose to ignore.