Saturday, June 26, 2010

Relay for Life

Our Masonic district was out last night at the Relay for Life by the Cancer Society.  We needed to have folks walk from 3PM to 10AM today.  Since we needed a few someones for the overnight and I didn't want to walk in the heat of the day (been in the 80-90s) I took the 3-5AM shift.

I lost my dad and dad in law to cancer, so felt this would be a good thing for me to support.  It was a heck of a night.  Two hours walking in circles gives you plenty of time to think . . . . I was smart enough to take my MP3 player along and it was a bit creepy what songs popped up on the random play feature.

It was also a rather emotional bit of a walk as they had luminaries around the walkway that people had written the names of survivors on, and many that were in memory of someone.  The ones that said DAD on them hit home.

It also hit me when I took over for one of the brothers from the lodge that was leaving.  I really got to understand what it means to relieve someone and take over on a critical issue.  Not sure what to say or how to describe the feeling but to be part of something this big was cool. 

I actually made it through my two hours, walked somewhere  between six and seven miles, and got done a bit after five.  Was home by 5:30 and asleep shortly there after.  It was hard to describe how this made me feel, but it was a great experience.  I look forward to doing it again next year.

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