Pink

I have mixed emotions about all the pink breast cancer awareness products out there. Pink this, pink that, ribbons, slogans, fund raising....it seems like all of big business world has jumped on the bandwagon.  While I agree that awareness and early detection is key; working towards quality treatments, and yes, I'd love to see a "cure" I don't like that it seems to be such big business propaganda and I really would love to know what exactly the researchers do with all that money.

Breast cancer IS something of great importance to me. I have boobs, I have a daughter. But, I've also had an aunt pass away from this disease along with see a family friend who happens to have been the mother to my daughter's friend leave us too soon and just a month ago took Mr. Man's aunt's life as well. I have seen first hand these STRONG women take this disease on with admirable courage. They all chose different means of dealing with their personal path with breast cancer...and the outcome was the same.

Up until this past May, I never really understood the big walks or races in honor of this cause. I have had mixed emotions on all the "hype" that has gone with it. My daughter and I decided we'd go do the Susan G. Komen 5K on Mother's Day. It was important to HER as she just watched her good friends mother pass of breast cancer. OK, we signed up, raised some cash and off we went. No expectations. Wow...was I wrong about these things. You all know me and my feelings on Karma...I let go of the fact that there are things about such organizations that I don't always feel at peace with and I said to myself, "I am putting positive thoughts out on this money and why we are here, the rest will do it's own work."  And it did!  I was overwhelmed with such love for strangers, for women, for survivors...I was AMAZED! The opening ceremony was beyond touching, the SEA, and I mean SEA of people was shocking, the signs, the shirts, the hug a survivor corner...yes, it was all inspiring to me.

At this time I am making up my mind that I will wear pink every Friday for the month of October to show my love and memories of these three women in my life that have gone before me. I want to  remember them as the strong women they were. I don't need a special ribbon, I don't need a slogan, I just want to keep their memories alive in my heart as I don't want their lives defined by some ad campaign, they were so much more to the world than that. If a product I normally purchase is toting the pink ribbon, I'll still buy it and smile in their honor, but I don't have to go out of my way to buy everything that is all of a sudden supporting this cause.  I will continue to run the 5K on Mother's Day with my daughter and keep us aware of the strength we all have within us.

Life is good, get on with it!