As always, I’d intended to write sooner, and I’ve even started another post, but this weekend I lost a friend, and although I know she appreciated my snarkiness when I’m… let’s just say overly honest, that’s not what I think is appropriate this week.
Last time I wrote I was sobbing, and evidently I made Tricia cry too. But a week ago Monday she let her friends know that she was not allowed visitors anymore, and she wasn’t going to answer our e-mail anymore for a little while because the pain had gotten so bad. By Saturday AM, she was gone.
Her friends knew she was watching Facebook, so we’d been posting notes of love & encouragement, songs of love and inspiration… but one of her favorite quotes (which she was the first to call cheesy) was from Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life,” and it embodied the last two years for Tricia. The line is simple: “I just want to live while I’m alive.”
So many of us just go through the motions, and I know I’m as guilty of that as the next person. I’m not going to say something silly like I’m going to go live my life for Tricia, and do things she didn’t get to so, because that’s not what I think she would want. Beyond my personal "random act of kindness," of leaving my full punch card to pay for coffee in the car behind me, I think she would want me to live MY life, and work on MY bucket list.
Today my husband gave me a belated Mother’s Day gift (because it just arrived in the mail, not because he forgot) that I found on etsy.com. As a fellow etsy addict, I know she’d appreciate this necklace.
Ten years ago, I first heard of this thing called the Breast Cancer 3 Day. It was a walk, not a race, 60 miles over three days. I thought to myself, “Huh, I can do that.”
I tried to find someone to do it with me, but all anyone would tell me is that they couldn’t do it. That I couldn’t do it. So of course, I did.
Three years ago I decided to get “doing a triathlon” off my bucket list. That summer I ended up doing three. And here, I encouraged others to join in.
Two months ago I walked my first Half Marathon. In July, I’ll do my second, and by the Portland Rock n Roll Half next May, I’m planning to at least run a little. My goal is four hours for the See Jane Run event this year, and next year, at least 3:30.
My point is, the best way I can honor the memory of one of the bravest people I’ve ever known, I’m going to keep doing things, just because I believe that I can. The only lame thing about the 3 day, is that I did it all by myself, so now, I’m recruiting.
Any lady out there who is up for a little walk that ends with some Chocolate and Champagne… let me know. I believe that you can, and then you will!
