Thinking Pink

If we were to take all of the adjectives that describe breast cancer survivors and blend them into a colour - there's no question it would be pink! Soft, yet strong. Passionate and Formidable. Courageous, yet delicate...anything but neutral. Red tempered by the purity of white - how appropriate that it spans the emotional spectrum from rage to love - tempered by innocence and hopefulness.

I've not been touched directly by breast cancer, but know many brave women who have. Each day, I speak to one or more of them - not about their journey, their illness, their struggle - but about the day to day joys and challenges of simply being here and doing what we all do: from raising kids to balancing a budget - from managing a career to managing a marriage. Seeing how "normalized" their lives are - and knowing on a deeper level what they have overcome to get to this state of normal is awe inspiring to me. That's why, during this month of breast cancer awareness, I'm all about the pink! Recognizing the need to do something - big or small - to make a difference in the lives of the victims, the patients, the families and the survivors is a little goal of mine - and I am surrounding myself with pink-ness to keep this goal at the forefront!

Supporting the cause financially is terrific, but I also believe that creating an emotional connection is also important. Showing that you give a damn by wearing the colours, the ribbon symbolizing awareness and hope, walking the walks and buying the pink stuff whenever possible...I just think that - if it were me - I would value the acknowledgment of the movement instead of any pity...and from all of the survivors I know - they sure aren't looking for pity - in fact - they are among the strongest and toughest people I've ever met...What they're after is what we're all after at the end of the day - a long and healthy life, surrounded by the people they love and filled with joy, adventure, some unpredictable fun - and a little red wine! No pity party on their watch!

I can't even attempt to get inside the head of someone who has experienced cancer of any kind - or profess to understand what the battle was like. All I can do is try to raise awareness, raise a bit of money for research and be there...not that I have anything profound to say...but I am a hell of a shopper, I can eat chocolate with the best of them - and can sip red wine on command - hey - that's what friends are for. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month - and a great time to don some pretty pink things, sign up for an event, or buy some of the really cute cookware that seems to be in every kitchen shop out there.

We are surrounded by great stuff - and the abundance we enjoy every single day should have some meaning connected to it - a ritual, a fond memory, maybe a little bit of hopefulness. So next shopping outing that involves a little decorative something...or one of my obsessive kitchen purchases, I will be sure that the piece supports the cause Think Pink!
That reminds me - if you haven't looked at Sarah ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance - or her website...http://www.simpleabundance.com/homepub.html, then it's worth a quick visit one day...A lot of her ideas are simplistic - but there are a few treasures that I find myself re-reading several times - especially after thinking about a topic like breast cancer.

Tomorrow is "Wear Pink Thursday" at work...My team championed that idea over a year ago - and it stuck...so I thought that tonight's blog - as I sit by my crackling fire enjoying the peacefulness of a mid-week evening, I'd like to write about the little pink movement, because every tiny bit matters!