The Relay for life is over for this year. I have a few new aches and pains but they are all worthwhile when you consider the cause and what people with cancer have to go through. It feels great to have been apart of such a wonderful event. Our group raised almost $1900 with the grand total being just over $71,000.
My group, Bacon and Eggs - named after our breakfast group who get together every monday morning after we drop our kids at school, began converging on Leslie Lake as early as Friday evening after soccer. Around 6 pm on the 2nd. we got all decked out in our matching pjs and Relay for Life t-shirts and headed down to the beach for the speeches that would begin the night's event.
The walk started with the "survivors" lap lead by a bagpiper. All the teams formed a line, in pairs we stood across from each other, for the survivors to walk between us. Some of the 'survivors' walked with heads held high, some walked with tear dotted cheeks, some walked with heads bowed and tears flowing. It was very awe inspiring when someone you knew walked past. There were some high 5's, there were gentle hand holds, there were pats on the back. It is a great feat to be a cancer survivor. It was a heart touching moment. After the survivors had completed their lap the teams went out in alphabetical order, which in this case meant "Bacon and Eggs" led the walk. As I walked passed the yet unlit luminaries there was the family of our friend who died just a couple of weeks ago holding each other infront of his just placed luminary. If I didn't know before, I knew then why I was there. As we walked we each knew many people whose luminaries were placed in their honor. You could hear people reading off names. Some memories were very fresh in our minds.
We all walked together as a team for the first couple of laps then knowing we had to pace ourselves over the next 12 hours some of us left the trail for our campsite, waiting to take our turns. We didn't really have a schedule for who would walk when, but knowing at least one of us had to be on the trail at all times we just took turns when we felt like it. Every once in awhile someone would get up and head to the lake to start walking and to find any of our team who were walking and tell them it was time for them to rest. As it worked out we all walked at least 4 hours. Kris, Fiona and I were there when the luminaries were being lit, we took turns lighting a few. I walked from 1:30 am to 4 am...to me I picked the best time. By this time the luminaries were all lit, the moon was almost full and shining on the lake. The path looped along the lake and then up a small incline - the lake was always right beside us, with the luminaries on the other side of the path. As we walked on the upper side of the trail we could see the walkers along the lake. I walked with a flashlight in my hand but rarely used it. It was a very calming atmosphere. At that time of night people walked alone, some walked in pairs - there was some chatter but mostly it was quiet, lots of time for reflection and thought. Around 4 am I took a break and headed back to our campsite. One of our group was still awake, 2 were still walking, one was trying to catch a few naps in her lawn chair and the rest had tucked themselves into bed. Kerry and I watched the dark lift, we heard the birds awaken. I went back out to walk at dawn, the first person I saw was my high school English teacher, she walked with her hands behind her back like she was in a contemplative mood, we bid each other "good morning" and kept to our task. My walking partner woke up and caught up with me shortly after 5. I noticed a lot of our walking was done in silence.
It all wrapped up with the teams joining to complete the final lap. With less than a 1/2 hour of sleep all night I was glad to pack up and head home. I came home, threw my clothes into the washer, took a long hot shower and jumped into bed.
Two sore feet, one sore ankle and one sore knee, it was all worthwhile and I will do it again.
It was good, it was all good.
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