Today saw the third and final day of the garage sale held by my daughter-in-law, her neighbors and me.  Prior to the garage sale, Carl and I had decided to donate whatever we earned to my Light the Night fundraising efforts.  It was not a productive sale but we did earn $60.00 thanks to the generosity of the neighbors, Tom & Carol, who donated their earnings to ours for which I'm truly grateful.

Exhausted though I was after we got home, when my neighbor, Vicki, came by and asked me if I wanted to go for a walk, I donned my walking shoes, harnessed up Maddie and away we went. This walk was 5 and a half miles and could have competed with some of my runs.  We maintained a strong, steady and fast pace for the entire walk - including hills and it felt really good - almost like a slow run.

Light the Night is in seven days.  I'm still about $600 from my goal.  I really thought it would be achievable and I still believe it can be done.  I've sent out letters, emails and lined up some fundraisers for the team with Buffalo Wild Wings.  It's hard to be so close and yet so far away.

Sometimes I wish I didn't care so much, didn't believe that somehow my efforts, combined with thousands of others could eradicate cancer of any and every kind, that I could walk away from the walk this year and say "this is my last year" and mean it. Yet, I do care that much, I do believe that much and I can't walk away. 

I don't expect everyone to feel the same way I do about Light the Night - about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - we all have different passions, different causes we believe in.  However, I have this crazy expectation that everyone does want to see a cure for cancer. 

Even if you aren't able to support my efforts, I hope that you're able to find a cause that you do feel passionately about and that you get behind it - heart and soul. 

Running because someone's life depends on it.