Still Relay

So, I'm still kind of reveling in the impact Relay made on my life.  I've done charity walks before, primarily March of Dimes back in high school and college, but it just wasn't the same.  It could be that I'm older now and in past years my life has been touched by cancer, or it could be that Relay really was different.  There was just this sense of unity among those on the field on Saturday that is so hard to explain.

I forgot to mention yesterday about the rain.  Apparently, the last couple of years, Relay in WV has been rained upon and Saturday evening as everyone was putting out the luminaries, the rain seemed imminent.  The winds, though a welcome change from the heat and humidity of the morning and afternoon, were blowing strong and dark clouds were moving in.  We were scrambling to attach the sides to our tent and to snatch up our luminary bags so they were not soaked by the storm.  They came over the PA to say that it was raining in a town only twenty minutes away and that if there was lightening and thunder, we all had to abandon the field and congregate in the high school.

Lisa was staring up at the clouds repeating again and again, "Not this year.  Not this year."  I closed my eyes briefly and offered up a prayer, probably along with hundreds of others.  "Please God, let it pass us.  Let us be able to honor people with the luminaries."

The storm passed us without so much as a drop.  It was just one of dozens of amazing moments that day.

I'm an idea person and I always like to start thinking about things way in advance, especially since we all know that the older we get, the faster time flies by us.  The most prevalent item for sale at Relay was handmade jewelry and though most of it was quite lovely, I'm now thinking of what else would be symbolic but different from the norm.  Of course, knitting comes to mind and in surfing the net a bit, it seems that there are many knitting projects for breast cancer, but that isn't good enough.  Relay was about cancer; not one particular kind of cancer, which is part of the reason I loved the event so much.  Yes, as a female, breast cancer is very personal, but my life has been touched by other kinds of cancers.

So, I'm thinking, because once I come up with an idea, I need to get on it as I am the slowest knitter in the world. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to jump right in.