A Small Sacrifice

I turned 30 this year. To celebrate, I counseled at a weekend retreat for kids with cancer. There’s no better way to remind yourself that 30 isn’t that big a deal than being with kids with cancer. So much about life becomes clear when you are with kids that are fighting for theirs.

Half my life ago, when I was 15, I was one of those kids. I spent a year in the hospital being pumped with chemo, cut open, stuffed with new metal parts and put back together. I am quickly approaching the time where I’ve been a survivor longer than I was a kid without cancer. And, sometimes, though the battle scars are deep and wide, I almost forget the blessing of life we are granted each morning when we wake up.

Turning 30 was a great time to purposefully reflect, to get back in the trenches for a bit and choose to be a part of someone else’s journey when mine feels far away. I think that’s part of what makes St. Baldrick’s so special – it’s really an opportunity to get back to the basics, to make a small sacrifice that turns into something much larger – a reminder of the blessings in life.

So, here’s to St. Baldrick’s. And, here’s to turning 30. Don’t worry; I’ll be celebrating all year.