Reference

Yesterday was Race for the Cure; and this time, I had a very different experience. It started off rather the same. I was nervous about getting there on time and actually doing the run; all of the minutia. But after the run, it was totally different; and I am not sure I can put my finger on why.

First, let me tell you that I made it to the starting line on time this year. Hooray! And even though it was cold and rainy, I ran an ok race in a little over 25 minutes. But really, that doesn’t matter.

After the running, I was relaxed and felt relieved because I could now just go around a see what was going on. The walk was about to start, and because of the weather being miserable, it was the hardcore doing the walk this year. For the 5K races like I just ran in, you have runners that will run in anything; but for the walk, you really have to believe in the cause to do it in rain with temperatures that were hovering in the 40’s.

And this is when it all hit me. A thousand things ran through my head as I saw those that have survived and those that are still in the fight making their way through the course anyway they could. A lack of sleep due to nerves combined with the thought that because of breast cancer I might lose someone that is very dear to me combined with other things that are too numerous to mention, I started to get a bit emotional. More emotional than I care to get in public. (Hey, I might be gay, but I can still go with the macho bit.)

I wound up leaving soon after that, with a lot more to think about.

This morning, I checked my email. Lots of donations! Thank you so much. Words can not even begin to express how thankful I am. Really, I am truly touched by everyone’s generosity. And I am emotional again.

And because I can’t say it enough, thank you.

Copyright 2009 by G. P. Donohue for textillian.com