The Year You Weren't Expecting

An inspirational essay about how to survive the pandemic, from cancer survivors Goats and Soda editor's note Cornelia Li for NPR Dear world, you are not having the year you thought you’d have. That’s the situation we find ourselves in as the pandemic continues around the globe. It’s a tough thing to cope with – uncertainty, anxiety, fear of illness. What helps me is [remembering how my wife and I got through the year]( she was diagnosed with breast cancer. A nurse told us, you’re not going to have the year you thought you’d have. And with my wife facing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, that was a truth we had to accept. Our plans, our projects, our dreams for the year ahead had to be put on hold. We had to make sacrifices in the hope that after treatment, her prognosis would be good. And that’s how all of us are feeling in this year of the novel coronavirus. I wrote an article for the NPR blog “Shots” on how our cancer experience has helped us with this health emergency – showed us that it’s okay to feel sad, to cry – and to look for moments of joy that give you the strength to move forward. I was deeply moved by the comments shared by readers who had a similar perspective – and also by the way they offered heartfelt support. One commenter said she’d just been diagnosed with cancer herself. A cancer survivor responded to her: “I battled breast cancer 13 years ago. You can do it! One hurdle at a time! God bless and heal you!” [Read the story here.]( Marc Silver Editor, Goats and Soda --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- must-read [Could Giving Kids A 50-Cent Pill Massively Boost Their Income Years Later?]( The results are in from a Nobel-prize winner’s landmark study of a deworming program. So why does the idea still get mixed reviews from economists? culture Youtube/ Screenshots by NPR [A Global Guide To Binge-worthy TV For The Pandemic]( Lost children! Angry lovers! Time travel! A show referred to as “The Muslim Game Of Thrones." We asked reporters around the world to tell us about the shows that people are obsessed with. [Opinion: We Are Africans. Here's Our View Of Beyoncé's 'Black Is King']( Esther Ngumbi, a professor from Kenya, and Ifeanyi Nsofor, a doctor in Nigeria, react to the megastar's movie-length music video — and to criticism from other Africans. photos Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville and Tommy Trenchard for NPR [South Africa's Zip Zap Circus Brings A Big Heart To The Big Top]( The circus was founded to lift kids out of poverty and change racial attitudes. It's become a world-famous institution — performing for Barack Obama, for example — while holding true to its dream. profile John Rice/OSU/CFAES [A Prophet Of Soil Gets His Moment Of Fame]( Rattan Lal, an Indian-born scientist, has devoted his career to finding ways to capture carbon from the air and store it in soil. Today, that idea has a catchy name: regenerative agriculture. weekly FAQ [Coronavirus FAQ: Can An Airline Put You On A No-Fly List For Refusing To Mask Up?]( The matter of masks on planes has led to some contentious moments — and serious consequences. Is it legal to ban a passenger from flying for violating a mask mandate? links we like - A Cameroonian cartoonist hosts a virtual exhibition of [comic books made by African artists]( from The Christian Science Monitor - Rwandans caught violating pandemic restrictions [must attend all-night lectures]( from SBS News - It's [not easy editing Wikipedia in Egypt]( especially about LGBT topics. Rest of World with the story - Muzalema Mwanza is [fighting Zambia's alarmingly high rates of maternal and newborn deaths]( from Global Citizen What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [goatsandsoda@npr.org](mailto:goatsandsoda@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Health, Daily News, Code Switch and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Goats and Soda emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](