When Athena Orchard was just 12 years-old, she discovered a bump on her head. Then, later she blacked out at Christmas. Soon after this incident, she was diagnosed with bone cancer and underwent aggressive chemotherapy. Life wasn’t fair for this little girl from New Parks, Leicester.
Sadly, she passed away last Wednesday. She was only sick for a few months before losing her battle with cancer. However, she didn’t let her cancer defeat her spirit.
As her father was going through her things, he made an incredible discovery. Athena had a large, secret message written on the back of her bedroom mirror.
(H/T BuzzFeed)
This is just a snippet of the note that Athena left behind her mirror. Her words are full of hope, love and wisdom. It’s difficult not to tear up when you see some of her final thoughts:
“Happiness depends upon ourselves.
“Maybe it’s not about the happy ending, maybe it’s about the story.
“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. Happiness is a direction not a destination.
“Thank you for existing. Be happy, be free, believe, forever young.
“You know my name, not my story.
“You have heard what I’ve done, but not what I’ve been through.
“Love is like glass, looks so lovely, but it’s easy to shatter.
“Love is rare, life is strange, nothing lasts and people change.
“Every day is special, so make the most of it. You could get a life-ending illness tomorrow so make the most of every day.
“Life is only bad if you make it bad.
“If someone loves you then they wouldn’t let you slip away no matter how hard the situation is.
“Remember that life is full of ups and downs, without the downs the ups don’t mean anything.
“I’m waiting to fall in love with someone I can open my heart to.
“Love is not about who you can see spending your future with it’s about who you can’t see spending your life without.
“Life is a game for everyone but love is the only prize.”
These are the kinds of perspectives that most people struggle to have and maintain, yet this sick girl fully committed to them. Share Athena’s incredible outlook on life; she had an amazing spirit, even in her final days. Click the Share button below to show others her secret message.