That's a LONG way...

On Saturday, October 29, Kev and I will embark on the Ultimate Hike for the Cure. This hike is CureSearch's one day, 30 mile trek through two state parks in Indiana. For us it will be an adventure, a challenge, and an opportunity. It will be a day of the two of us and beautiful scenic trails of Indiana state parks. We like hiking but we're not endurance athletes, so it will be a challenge for us both. And it's an opportunity to raise much needed funds for childhood cancer...and awareness of the need along the way. Sounds about perfect, doesn't it?

It occurs to me that the ultimate hike is a good illustration of the childhood cancer journey. It's an endurance sport. It's an adventure (not really in a good way, but an adventure just the same). It's a challenge. It's an opportunity.

The journey through childhood cancer is a long one, far beyond a quick sprint...it puts your heart to the test. Like many trials in life it's something that once you're in, you're in it for the long haul. It will challenge everything you know and believe. It is filled with struggle. It is painful....at times it is absolute agony. Sometimes we wonder if we'll make it to the finish. Heaven knows our journey to date has been this way. Many days, we wanted to give up. But along the way there are blessings, if we only open our eyes to see them. And in the end, we are stronger than we were before. I'm guessing that somewhere before the 30 miles are up, we'll hurt, we'll feel like giving up, and question our sanity more than once. But in the end, we'll finish stronger. As we have in our life's journey, we'll look back on the hike and see the blessings along the way and be thankful for them. We will have grown in some way. Much like our journey through this valley, the growth comes at great cost. It's not growth we would have ever chosen, but somehow it seems to happen anyway. This part of the journey- this adventure, this challenge, this opportunity- we choose. We choose this opportunity and welcome the challenge, until we reach the day.... see you at the "finish line!"





** Visit the SuperBub's SuperHeroes Team Page.

To infinity.... and beyond!