A Poetry Momement

In memory's lovely garden
The treasured past draws near,
And cherished friends are dearer
With every passing year.
There fondest recollections
Invoke a sigh, a smile;
Come into memory's garden
And walk with me awhile.

by Alice M Stewart

I received a surprise package in the mail. A package from some child of a long ago acquaintance. This poem was tucked inside an envelope that had my name and one of the many addresses from my childhood on it.

Did I really just see that????

Ever have one of those days where your going about doing your thing, trying to get through a mile long to do list and wondering why traffic is at a crawl when normally it zips through the section your in at a good clip? Then when you move up to where you expect to find out it's from a bad accident. Only it's not you feel the urge to rubberneck to see what the reason is and then you spot it. A row of PINK shapes. And then you ask yourself did you just see that? So you do the obvious in the defense of your sanity. You toss the to do list aside for a brief moment and pull into a parking lot to get a better view.

Yep, I really did see pink. Before I could get close enough for a good look I thought it was one of those pink tow trucks that I've heard about from some of my friends. I totally wasn't expecting to see a firetruck. A big, bold pink fire truck!!!! And not just one but FOUR!!! 

It was a very moving moment to see the four fire trucks and to learn what it was all about. The odd black spots on the surface are names that people have written on the trucks. What it is all about is simply cancer. These trucks tour the country and help to raise money for women who have cancer. It's amazing.

 

I saw a lot of memory jogging names on the trucks. While I can't ever know if the names the brought friends, family, loved ones to mind were actually for them or not it was oddly comforting to know that their name is on the truck whether for them or not.
 
As a woman who's had cancer although an easily fixed type twice and a few scares that involved surgery and the terms precancerous and we believe we got it all from a masked surgeon during the coming out of anesthesia haze. I can't begin to describe the emotions I felt upon seeing these vehicles and hearing what it was all about. I don't cry very easily. Especially when it comes to medical stuff I've gotten through and moved beyond (23, 15 and 8 years); but I couldn't help it. The overwhelming feeling that was a mix of humbled selfish "I'm not alone" with frustration, concern, and panic of "Why are there so many"...

 Yes, I know my experiences with cancer wasn't much of anything at all. I know that it was a very easy cake walk of sorts because it was treated so easily and quick to fix. (3 different surgeries and a dose of chemical specific for the type) Therefore it doesn't count and maybe the ones who say it are right. All I know is it was very emotional to see the truck and have visual proof that I am not alone as a woman who has the big awful C for cancer branded on her medical file.

To learn more about these beautiful pink firetrucks you can go  here.