Saturday Heros

Well yesterday after being at Catie's race, and then the relay for life I do believe I got a chance to witness some greatness yesterday. Ordinary humans going out of their way for another, it struck a cord within me. 
At Catie's Race yesterday they had 177 runners and walkers, every single one there to help a child. It was wonderful to watch as a lot of first timers lined up. The during the race it self Catie's dad, her big brother, her grandparents, her uncles and aunts, pretty much the whole gang raced or walked the course. Everyone was wearing dark purple for epilepsy(except me, I didn't know of course I am in neon pink :P). Around Mile 2 I came up on Catie's brother, Logan. He was pretty tired, walking a few steps and then pushing back to a run, then back to walk and then back to run. Might I add he looks to be about 5. Remarkable he was still ahead at this point that's really far for a little pair of legs. He had a mission, he was running for his sister. I tried to be encouraging as possible, with a huff of "you can do it buddy, great job". At this point I passed him as he stopped to tie his shoe. His dad that had finished what seems years before me, ran back through to run in with his son. He finished a couple minutes after to cheers and greeted at the finish line by his baby sister in the stroller. It really was something to see it made me tear up. Logan was Catie's hero.
Then after the race I went to the other side of the park to the Relay for Life, Slapped on my team shirt and walked down to the track. I met up with the nurses from work just at the kick off of the 24 hour relay walk. We walked around a couple times together. I had NO idea what had been going on down here for years, I was missing something pretty cool. All the teams had booths along the way, food, raffles and themed stuff. It looked like a little town. Our group and every group worked so hard to raise money for cancer research they were doing it only to help others or in honor of a loved one, and it looked time consuming! I know the gals at work have fund raised all year for this. As we were walking Donna told me, " When Lisa (a former co-worker) got sick we all wanted to do something good as a group". They really have I felt terrible for not being more involved with this. The goal is to keep someone on the track at all times for 24 hours, that's ambitious to me, but I saw tents already set up- wow really? So I stayed about a half an hour and came back later after I worked 3-11pm. I parked at the far end of the track that is not lit and I had to walk in the dark with only my cellphone light to guide me though the snake portion. I tried not to be a chicken, so I concentrated on walking faster and watching the cool light show the lightning bugs were putting on. It really was beautiful, vast darkness and flickers of green. I got to the track and heard loud off key singing! They were still kicking karaoke style. It was dark with few bright lights, and the track was lined with luminaras, dedicated to people with cancer or passed from cancer. I walked for an hour in my scrubs. I wanted to stay all night. All the people sleeping outside or staying up all night to walk, all the preparations they went through- they are heroes. Next year I, Amanda I will Never Go Camping Fink, will be out there all night supporting too. I went home, good and tired, and thoroughly renewed in the generosity of the human spirit.

Song Suggestion: Beauty in the World, Macy Gray