small moves

i received a beautiful card from the woman, b, for whom i am walking in the breast cancer 3-day walk. she made the card herself, a beautiful flower collage. she said that she had been rather passive, just going along with the treatment, but without putting her heart into it. and she told me that, because of me and my walk and my efforts for it, she has decided to fight her cancer, take a more active role in her treatment, and has even started a new med. i gave it to her daughter to read, and she'd had no idea that her mom hadn't been fighting. we're both blubberheads, too, by the way - we were rather soppy after.

i had no idea that my tiny leap of faith could have any effect on anyone, other than those benefiting from the money i'm raising from my wonderful friends, and from mb's family. i had no idea that my participation could encourage or inspire or help someone. but it has, and i'm amazed.

we all do little things that directly or indirectly help or hinder other people. sometimes we get to decide what those things are, and i, at least, hope that the ripples from my little pebbles help more than hurt.

the thing is, we very rarely get to know what happens in the rest of the pond, to extend the metaphor further than it should probably go, and how heart-breakingly cool it is for me to know that i've helped someone. there is no better thing in this whole world.

on a completely different note, but heartwarming all the same, spring has sprung, at least for the last day or two, and my neighbor kids are playing leapfrog in their back yard! can you believe it??

old school, represent.