What Kind of World Do you Want?

I overheard a conversation a couple weeks ago that has had me thinking. I was in line at Starbucks, (dah, where else would I be in line eavesdropping?) and the woman in front of me asked her male(ish) – I think it was male – It was very Pat-ish if you know what I mean – anyhow, the woman was asking Pat what kind of positive mark he was leaving? He looked confused, so she continued to explain how she’s been trying to do things during her life that leaves a mark – in a good way. For example, she signed up to be a Big Sister because she felt she had something to offer someone. She wants to be sure she leaves this place better than when she found it.

So that got me thinking, what kind of mark am I leaving? Some would argue that having children leave a mark (and some would argue that the children themselves ARE a mark). Well, I’m not likely to have children at this point, so what now? Where am I leaving a mark? Where do I want to leave a mark? What excites me? What am I passionate about? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks…PINK!

Here I am putting in an enormous amount of energy and emotion into supporting and participating in a breast cancer event. But when it’s over, what then? Am I going to just check it off my list and move on? Or is there room for me to keep giving? I found, there’s room. I have been doing research on breast cancer and have found some startling statistics that quite frankly scare the living bejesus out of me. I’m convinced that education and early detection will help increase the number of survivors. And so, I signed up. I signed up to volunteer for the local Susan G. Komen affiliate.

I met with the volunteer coordinator earlier this week and their executive director (who happens to be our former Governor’s wife) and the passion these two women displayed about their work removed any second thoughts I might have had. They talked to me about what Susan G. Komen (from here on out SGK and I’m referring to the Washington affiliate) spends their money on and I knew I was in the right place. 70% of their money is being spent on early detection with not just affluent women, but those women who may be less financially stable, or have a cultural barrier. They found through research that a lot of women who are perhaps a different ethnic group don’t discuss breast health or the need to pay attention to it. And the numbers of deaths in that group was larger than most, so the focus goes there. Which I think is fantastic.

Then they discussed all the other programs they support. They have a program that if you are diagnosed and you can’t pay your mortgage, they’ll pay it for you. Or help you with other bills if you need it. That’s amazing and I must be a part of this. This is going to be my mark. My mark will be pink!

And as if that isn’t enough pink, the new pink pack was delivered yesterday with some new pink scrapbook paper, new pink crock flip flops, a delivery from the breast cancer shop and 29 lbs of Salmon. My apartment looks like a cardboard box of pink and black cat hair blew up in it!
The walk is now 7 weeks away. Donations are still coming in and I’m increasingly amazed at the generosity of people. So a few more shout outs!

Nelson Mandella’s BFF – I too hope to see you at the finish line and I too hope I’m still walking and not sitting in a wheel chair. Thanks for your donation!

PM Instructor/friend – We do really need to get a happy hour on the calendar, I can then thank you in person. But before then, THANK YOU!

Hank Dodge and Snapshot Katie – I have no idea who you are, but you most certainly must be angels from somewhere. Thank you for your donation!

The Newlyweds – here in a couple more months I’m going to have to come up with a new code name for you two since you will have been married for a year. You both have been fantastic supporters of me from the start of this journey, so thank you.

This weekend should be a 24 mile weekend. 10 tomorrow and 14 or 16 on Sunday. I say "or" because it'll depend on how good I feel at 14 as to whether we'll take a 2 mile loop to make it 16. But thankfully where this walk will end they will be two of my favorite things: A Starbucks AND a 7-11. Two great tastes that taste - wait - nevermind!