I used to embrace penning my PMC Story. Like everything new and exciting (learning to ride a bike) I was inspired & determined. I still have that relentless perseverance, drive and inspiration to ride, but what gradually chips away year to year is that I keep asking and relying on all of you to support my cause. It’s a tough ask. & despite the umpteen times each year I personally am touched by cancers wrath, coming up with a compelling reason and story to convince you to stay on board, that’s tough too.
Recently I had the great fortune to spend some time with one of my dearest friends , (like the kind you’ve known longer than you haven’t) who I don’t get to see very often. We all have friends like that. Phone calls & texts keep us connected but only time spent together can transport us to who we were when we first forged our friendship, (when it feels sort of like riding a bike). It’s golden, & sometimes in the moment we can get caught up in the being together, there isn’t the time to pause and feel it.
That morning I did. My mum had just sent me a text asking if she could pick me up anything at Trader Joes as she was headed there. Jen (who at the time had garbage bag in hand rallying to help me thru my current crisis) asked what she was texting so I told her. Then she simply said, “you know…sometimes I wonder , if Cookie were still alive, would she be texting me too?” Instantly I felt Jen. I transported into a world without my mother into Jen’s world without hers. Imagining Jen’s life quite parallel to mine, 2 beautiful children, a career, the struggles and triumphs of adulthood, but for over a decade, without her mother.
You guessed it, Cancers left Jen without her mother for 12 years; that’s a long time. A long time for anyone to be without someone they love. - I was there with Jen during her journey of her mum’s sickness, passing & to help her heal and grieve along the way. There in the days, weeks, months that followed to check in and make sure she was keeping her head above water, hoping I was being the friend she needed, not knowing who that was; we were so young, and after all, Cancer is uncomfortable.
As her pain subsided, her grief softened, the shock balanced, my consistency faded. I wasn’t there for her and the day to day moments when she missed Cookie. But as I know first hand, having lost a dear friend 5 years ago, that continued journey is a very personal one. We all have a unique way to grieve and overwhelming moments of not knowing how we can continue with such an enormous void in our world. Our closest friends and all their genuine compassion cannot begin to console us.
It's said too much, & we've all “lost someone to Cancer.” And I kind of like it, because it implies we will find them again, and after that excruciating period of grief and their painful absence, the not knowing how we will go on, the scales tip and eventually and gradually we do manage to find them again.
We are Cancer survivors.
So this year, I’m riding for them. For Jen who wonders if her mum would be texting her, for Bill who misses Maureen everyday, Neesy & Harry who have just begun the journey of anquish, Geoff who keeps Cindy’s spirit alive & for the boys - Jacob & Elijah who sometimes have to remember their dad from a photograph. And for all of you who have survived.
Onto the invitation!! I invite you to consider making a donation – any amount will do and brings me closer to my goal, but in the spirit of my 5th ride I challenge you to make one with a 5 in it… that could be a “fiver” as us brits refer to them, or $15, $50, $150 (or even $500 if you’re feeling particularly generous), it can even be divisible by 5 and still count!
Let's kick cancers ass.
#cancer
Cause Cindy, the ultimate starfish thrower, just lost her battle.
Cause Dave just recovered from pnemonia, (again).
Cause I just miss Johnny.
Cause I just can.
Cause of you guys - my tribe that just keeps on supporting my ride.
Relentless Hope Perserverance Progress Challenge
Let's just do it again.
#cancer #PMC2016 #RH0161 #bringiton #kickcancersass #cancersucks #ppp2016
