“A happy heart is good medicine but a broken spirit saps one’s
strength.” ~ Proverbs 17:22
When Dillon was growing up, it
always seemed like someone else “knew best.” That became less true as he started to take
control of his life and tweaked his parent’s values to fit his own life. So when Dillon announced that he was dropping
out of college, his parents reacted supportively. In fact, they were genuinely proud of their
son.
Earlier that week, (September
2017), the 20-year-old Californian learned that his best friend, who’d already
beaten childhood cancer, had gotten the worst news imaginable. The cancer had officially returned; this time
as a mutated string highly resilient to the experimental drugs he’d used
before.
Chris had one year or less to live.
Thiers's was that kind of friendship that blooms from the
center of your heart - that kind of friendship that grows from the seedling
basking in the warm soil to an enormous tree with many sturdy branches, but not
enough to disguise its enormity or sheer brilliance.
Now the pair is traveling the world to cross off as many
items as possible on Chris’ 127-point bucket list. They kicked off their mission by buying 150 hamburgers
from a fast-food restaurant and delivering them to the homeless.
From having a pillow fight with strangers (#31), to tasting
the world’s hottest pepper (#11), and flying a jet airplane (#7), they’re
determined to experience all life has to offer.
The two are also hoping to dive with sharks (#62), pay for someone’s
college (#96), meet Danny DiVito (#104), and ride a motorcycle across Alaska
(#123).
The ultimate wish would be to find a bone marrow match for
Chris, the odds of which are a little less than winning the lottery. Even so, they broke a world record (#4) by
inspiring 3,715 people to sign up for a bone marrow donor list in one day.
Facing a grim prognosis, Chris remains hopeful and keeps
appreciating the “simple things in life.
”So many people think they’ll be really happy and enjoy life when they
go on vacation, when the kids are older, when they climb higher on the ladder
of success at work. But God wants you to
enjoy your life now, not when.”
So follow their lead - make the decision to enjoy your life
TODAY. If you’re too serious, lighten
up! Learn to laugh at yourself and the
things that normally frustrate you. If
you don’t have joy, then no matter what you have or how great your
circumstances may be … it doesn’t mean much.
“Lord, thank You for placing friends like Dillon
in my life! If this is my last year on earth, let my
legacy inspire others to live their lives – really LIVE them. Help me spread the word that any good bucket
list is never finished.” ~
Chris Betancourt
