Today I cried. I cried when I received the e-mail from our team coach that stated the bad news. I cried for the 12-year old boy, Jonathan, and the 4-month old baby, Mason, who just recently lost the battle to cancer. You see, when you bring kids into this unsightly scene, it breaks my heart. Twelve years ago I cried when I received the call from my step-father. It was the call that brought instant tears. It was the call that informed me of my mother’s sudden passing. Four years ago I cried when I received another call. It was the call that told me that my father had cancer. I could only think “Why is this happening to me?” Yet, it is almost expected that one day we will have to face the loss of our parents as the natural cycle of life dictates. Never in a million years would we imagine outliving our children. I have 3 beautiful children and I wish nothing more than to have all 3 of them attend my funeral. I can’t imagine the pain that is resonating through Jonathan and Mason’s parents. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. What we can do now is do everything we can to help others who are fighting the battle in hopes that they can overcome it or at least hold on for a few more days.
And today I ran. I ran those hills and I ran them again just to prove to myself that I could because I don’t know what real pain is. I kept a light mood in spite of it all and chatted with my teammates and encouraged others to keep on running. These people are the saving grace whether or not they think so. They don’t know how important their actions are.
Run Like My Mother 