Despite my love for the lyrics of Finneas O'Connell and James Blunt currently, this song seems to be everywhere I turn (as with the numbers 2222) and so I thought I'd share it as many of its words speak to me

Its been around for a while, but I bet some will hear for the first time and some will be grateful to hear it again. Such simple yet wise words... "You are not as fat as you imagine" and "Don't worry about the future" resonate with me... but "Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours [heart]" is good advice. I've never lived in New York City or California (although I have lived in the USA) so new additions to my Bucket List... why not ? :) 

Which of the lyrics 'speak' to you? You can comment below.

The song, released in 1999, was written by Nigel Andrew Swanston and Tim Cox and performed by artist Baz Lurhmann. I've copied the lyrics below. 

Listen to the song here on YouTube: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5giWfpANMac

Lyrics
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97
Wear sunscreen
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it
A long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists
Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
Than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth
Until they've faded, but trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back
At photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now
How much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked
You are not as fat as you imagine
Don't worry about the future
Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing Bubble gum
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind
The kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. On some idle Tuesday
Do one thing every day that scares you
Saying, don't be reckless with other people's hearts
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours
Floss
Don't waste your time on jealousy
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind
The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself
Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults, if you succeed in doing this, tell me how
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements
Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't
Get plenty of calcium
Be kind to your knees
You'll miss them when they're gone
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't
Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the 'Funky Chicken'
On your 75th wedding anniversary
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much
Or berate yourself either
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can
Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room
Read the directions even if you don't follow them
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly
Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Some day a spirit will take you and guide you there

Bold Beanies cancer headwear and all those at our little factory rebelfamily-production would like to wish you all Peaceful and Merry Holidays

A time to remember those who are no longer with us. A time to show love to those alone. A time to bask in the magic. A time to reflect and be grateful. A time to eat, share and drink and recharge for the forthcoming year and new challenges. 

As cancer doesn't stop for Christmas, we will still be shipping our chemo alopecia headwear, head wraps, headscarves, PICC covers and cancer gifts throughout the whole festive period, albeit at a slightly slower service than normal. For all those of you that are newly diagnosed or looking for cancer hats for loved ones, we understand and we care. 

Bold Beanies are designed with style, ease and comfort in mind, by me, Emilienne. I had chemotherapy for Breast Cancer 12 years ago over Christmas. One of my memories of that time is watching her very young children decorate the lower branches of their Christmas tree... and with no energy, thats how it stayed. I was very ill, but very grateful for every moment... and still am. I look forward to a big new family Christmas (and birthday!) with new traditions and lots of love. 

Olivia was 3 years old and Lotte just 7 months old (still being breastfed) that fateful Wednesday twelve years ago when I was told I had cancer. My 'Cancer Journey' is very much linked to my children and being a mum 

Joking with the Breast Surgeon that I hadn't come to my appointment to get the results of the previous week's biopsy on my own... I had the baby with me! I had found the pea-sized hard lump under the skin whilst breast feeding and knew this wasn't 'my normal'... but still I wasn't really worried. I had no family history, I was not overweight, I'd never smoked, drank little, vegetarian and breast fed both my babies... couldn't be anything right? Wrong.

Investigations, lumpectomy and lymph node removal and various scans proved the cancer was aggressive... I had Grade 3 advanced Breast Cancer. Without intensive and immediate action my life was in danger and I wouldn't get to be a part of my children's lives; I wouldn't get to be their mummy. The worst thought for me personally was that they were too young to remember me. 

I had to do everything I could to ensure every year possible... to get to an age where they would remember me... feel my love for them and know how precious they were to me. I repeat, my cancer journey' is very much linked to my children.  

Twelve years ago this weekend just gone Lotte had her 1st birthday and whilst I was too ill to arrange a party for her we started our new tradition of 'Birthday Breakfast' and I vowed to make every other birthday very memorable for them.

I had my second chemotherapy infusion on that day at home. My hair had already started to fall and I'd shaved it in preparation. Quite a traumatic experience and I with hindsight urge any woman needing to shave her head to entrust this to someone they trust and is very sympathetic, whomever that may be (which may not be the obvious choice).

Losing my hair with Chemo whilst it was difficult to deal with at the time with my young family. I looked very ill. I lost the hair on my head and all over, including my eyebrows and eyelashes and combined with the bloating from the steroids, I looked very different.

My hair loss however set me on a path to start my business Bold Beanies and make a range of cancer alopecia headwear and gifts to make a terrible situation a little bit more bearable. I designed them with younger cancer patients in mind with an emphasis on style as well and for comfort and ease. 

I was unable to lift my arms for long after my mastectomy and lymph node removal and therefore tying traditional headscarves was too difficult for me. I needed something soft and simple to slip on and get on looking after my children. I also felt incredibly cold at night. The wooly beanie hat I wore was itchy and often got too hot, so I would take it off and then I would get cold quickly. My chemo headwear needed to be made from thin natural cotton material, soft, stretchy, breathable and temperature controlling. Its so much easier to face the side effects of cancer when you're able to get a good nights sleep. 

Having received a lot of flowers by post from well meaning friends and family, I also felt it very important to provide gift solutions for cancer patients, helping those around them feel less helpless. 

With every year that passes I gain strength in the bond I have with my girls. I teach them, I guide them to grow into confident young women who very much know they are loved whether I am with them or not.

Whilst I continue to battle with making my life count, battling the feelings of borrowed time, a bucket list of dreams and the normalities of being a single parent with a growing business and people in my life who are determined to make it harder than it needs to be... I hope that others who are at the start of their story with cancer that they get some comfort from my 12 years... sharing the positive stories is so important. I'm still here and enjoy every day with my children and look forward to the exciting times in their lives that I get to be a part of. 

Sarah Thomas, 37, a cancer survivor has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times in a row non-stop.

Sarah began the epic challenge in the early hours of Sunday and finished after more than 54 hours. The open water ultra marathon swimmer - who completed treatment for breast cancer a year ago - dedicated her swim to "all the survivors out there".

The swim was due to be about 80 miles but because of strong tides Ms Thomas ended up swimming closer to 130 miles.

Ms Thomas completed the final leg on Tuesday at about 06:30 BST.

THANK YOU SARAH!! What an amazing achievement! 

Speaking to the BBC after she came ashore at Dover, she said: "I just can't believe we did it.
"I'm really just pretty numb. There was a lot of people on the beach to meet me and wish me well and it was really nice of them, but I feel just mostly stunned."

She said she planned to sleep for the day, adding: "I'm pretty tired right now."

Swimmer Lewis Pugh said in a tweet: "Just when we think we've reached the limit of human endurance, someone shatters the records." 

I know of another swimmer Helen, who has inspired a collection of Bold Beanies chemo headwear who is also an incredible swimmer and inspires me every single day!!

If you have ever had a cancer diagnosis, it's all consuming. A relentless round of hospital visits, doctors appointments and potential surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, scans... but always a rollercoaster of emotions and anxiety for you and your loved ones. For a time in your life it dictates everything.

And then, if you are lucky enough you come through the other side, life somehow eventually needs to return to 'normal'. You need to get on with everyday life, prepare for events, take care of loved ones and pay those bills... and try as best you can to remember the lessons learned and live the best life possible.