Don’t Let Smoke Get Into Your Eyes
Last week, I was fascinated by the rites, rituals, and traditions used by the Catholic Church in Vatican City to inform everyone about the selection of the new pope. On the first day of the conclave, the cardinal-electors assemble in St. Peter’s Basilica to attend morning Mass.
In the afternoon, the 115 cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel to begin the first round of balloting, needing a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope. Interestingly, there was no internet service inside the conclave, and the cardinals vowed secrecy.
My fascination is how the world was informed when black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney at the end of the day on Tuesday, March 12, 2103, indicating “not yet.” However, when white smoke rose from the chimney the next day, this color of smoke indicated “pope elected.”
The world watched closely to see who would be selected as the new pope and eagerly awaited updates, which were indicated by smoke signals. Similarly, our bodies send signals that often signal something requiring attention or investigation by a medical professional.
Today, I want to focus on “15 Cancer Symptoms Women Ignore”. Years ago, cancer was a death sentence; however, with today’s technology and preventable measures with early detection, paying attention to the messages that our body is sending is critical.