Well sometimes you get gift you didn’t ask for:
Which is good becuase sometimes you need them. They come like a kick in the butt to get you motivated, out of the blue to shake things up a little, or like a little shock to get you thinking. Sometimes if the planets are aligned just right, and you have been very good, karma smiles on you and the gift is all 3. Thank you Kirstie McGuinness, for such a gift.
Now at first it may not seem like a gift, but bear with me. Kirstie is one of a small group of online friends who are all converging on Fairbanks this upcoming week. A kennel tour and some serious puppy time are on the agenda, along with some mandatory Fairbanks sight-seeing. And Thanks to Kirstie we are all participating in the Fairbanks Relay for Life. This is an active fundraiser where people walk or run and raise funds for The American Cancer Society. She has been involved before with her local Relay and thought it would be great if we could all participate together in Fairbanks. I got the email that we had all been signed up the other night, and although we can not participate the entire 24 hours, we are going to the Relay to do our part Friday night. You can even help our team raise fund by supporting me (at my Relay page), or one of my amazing friends / team-mates (at our team page).
Now how is this a gift? you may ask…
Well first someone cared enough about me that they wanted to include me; we should always be thankful for our dear friends. It was not in the plans, but who can complain about some wonderful physical activity, with friends, outside under the midnight sun, for a great cause! Yup this gift has the quality of motivating me to get off my butt, get out there and do something. Yeah, it was a shake up, not on the agenda, but I learned a long time ago traveling in third world countries that sticking rigidly to an agenda is a sure fire way to have a crappy vacation. The same is true of life I am finding. So this kink in the plans is a welcome surprise. The added bonus, I am going to check out a Fairbanks event that I have not participated in before. And how can one not think about the implications of an event like this?
Cancer; the word is now widely used and understood, but there was a time when it was hushed and hardly discussed. Now there is hope, research, treatment, and screenings, but that was not always the case. Dan and I are blessed to currently be living a healthy active lives. So for that I CELEBRATE. But so many people are dealing with illness and challenge. As I got ready to write this blog I was thinking back to Nikolia where I had the pleasure of camping next to DeeDee Jonrowe and hearing her talk about how truly grateful she was to be out on the trail still living the life she loves. She is a survivor, and her strength is inspirational. As I REMEMBER, I choose to remember those who have passed as well as those who have fought bravely and still do against cancer. And as I join my friends on Dew Claw’s Relay for Life team we will, in our own small way, be taking action to FIGHT BACK, and help support cancer research.
**CELEBRATE** **REMEMBER** ** FIGHT BACK**
Yes in one small gift, I have been given the opportunity to do all the above, and for that I am thankful. Looking forward to doing it with some wonderful friends!
If your are in Fairbanks on Friday June 1 please join us. Want to get involved but can’t make it out to walk with us? your support is greatly appreciated. Learn more here.
