Marching On

To fully convey the specialness of this evening seems nearly impossible, but what happened tonight is so close to my heart I certainly have to try.  I guess you could say the journey leading up to tonight started a few years ago when my incredibly amazing Uncle Bill was diagnosed with Leukemia.  Uncle Bill always said he was a lover, not a fighter but for two years he battled like a warrior…his courage was astounding.  In July of last year Uncle Bill passed away due to complications in his treatment.  It was a devastating blow to our family.  Rather than allow grief to consume us, however, we made a choice to follow in Uncle Bill’s footsteps and be brave.  Tonight we had the opportunity to honor his life and raise money to help families that know our story all too well by participating in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk.  Those who fundraised for the cause received illuminated balloons that symbolized why they were walking: red for those supporting a loved one currently battling Leukemia or Lymphoma, Gold for those walking in memory, and white for those who had, themselves, survived this terrible disease.  Thousands of us walked the two mile course through downtown Nashville with a sea of balloons floating above us, each one representing a story, a life and a determination to fight for a cure.  It was a beautiful, inspiring night and I’m so thankful I was able to be a part of it.  In the spirit of the evening, I wanted to pass on a few of the opportunities the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society provides for creative, crafty, and design conscious folks like yourself to make a difference.  If you’ve ever wanted to create a personalized photo gift (the photo of your choice on anything from books, mugs, chocolates, and ornaments to puzzles, aprons, t-shirts, and mousepads), then I’d encourage you to have it made through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Their prices are competitive and 40% of all sales go towards fighting blood cancer.  Similarly, Cards Direct will donate 20% of the sale of their personalized greeting cards to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Nights like tonight always make me think of the words of Edward Everett Hale, “I am only one, but I am one.  I can’t do everything but I can do something and I will not let what I can not do stop me from doing what I can.”  Do something good today- anything really!  Every bit makes a difference.