Photo by « Further Amusements | Home | Celestine Pool »
With All Regrets
By Liss | August 26, 2007
Despite my best attempts to prepare and all of the help from others, it seems that I will not be participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day.
When I originally signed up, my health was good and I looked forward to an active summer, with only a small amount of preparation required to get me up to the exercise level that I needed. Instead, I have had a summer full of health setbacks and exhaustion. I have pushed myself continually, but I just don’t see continuing in this fashion as good for me or effective in getting ready to participate.
All of my friends have rallied behind me with donations of cash, goods for yard sales, and time. I feel a bit like I have failed you, but I know that you care about me taking care of myself, as well. This post is about taking responsibility for my own care and realizing that this is not the best thing for me at this time.
All donations already made are still going to benefit the Breast Cancer 3-Day. The money from the yard sales will be directly donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, one of the 3-Day beneficiaries. As previously arranged, all remaining yard sale goods will be donated to a good charity, though I haven’t chosen which one yet.
Please accept my apologies for not completing this task after all your assistance. I have worked long and hard at it and am disappointed, but accepting of what I need to do for myself.
Thank you.
Topics: Breast Cancer 3-Day, Fund Raising |
August 26th, 2007 at 07:31:24 UTC
Hey. I hate that you feel badly about this. I understand, because I couldn’t do the whole 60 miles. Here’s what I said to another lady on the airconditioned bus when she was bemoaning that she couldn’t do it all:
Did you raise the money?
she agreed she had
Did you raise awareness?
yes, she had
Then shut up!
You’ve done the best bits, the most important things. The actual walking is a physical challange for you. If your health has worsened, clearly the nature of your challenges must change.
Liss, you’ve done fine. You’ve worked harder at raising money than anyone I’ve ever seen. You’ve used your blog space incredibly well to help raise awareness. Another time, another year, if you want to take on the walk itself, you can do so. For now, part of taking care of yourself means not beating yourself up for what are largely imaginary reasons.
PS: I’m commenting here rather than at LJ because when you originally post here, the translation in too small to read in there.
August 26th, 2007 at 09:38:34 UTC
Liss:
A person’s hardest, most unforgiving, & most unrelentless critique; is themselves…
So; my first piece of advice is to give yourself a break… Both figuratively & literally.
What you have done so far; up to this point, is way beyond fantastic! You cared & you cared enough to challenge your self; health wise, physical wise, emotionally wise & stressfully wise. You have pushed yourself beyond your normal; daily endurance. Then you have continually pushed your self past that endurance; again & again & again. You have N-O reason to feel anything less than absolutely PROUD of yourself!!! You have already worked wonders for your cause & you can honestly say that you gave it your very best shot!
Your Grandma & LeVonne would be ( & are; I’m sure…) IMMENSLEY proud of you!!!
I’ve always been proud of you; since the day you were born. I’ve always thought that there was no possible way to feel any prouder of you than I already did; but you have shown me over & over & over again how wrong I was about having reached the “zenith of pride.” I’ve learned that no matter how proud of your child you are; there is always room/reasons for that pride to climb higher.
The world is a far better place for having you & people like you in it!
Instead of feeling bad & berating yourself; for what YOU feel you feel you didn’t accomplish…. CELEBRATE ; be proud & feel good; about what you DID accomplish.
Just go ask Jeffry how he feels…
LOVE & HUGS TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MOM