October Pink

Beatrice has no clue how "in" she is this month, with pink designated as the color for Breast Cancer awareness, and October being designated as the month on which to focus efforts for that cause. There was a time where I was keenly aware of the symbolism of the color pink and had pink ribbon everything:  jewelry, shirts, mugs, etc.  My mom died ten years ago, hard to believe, after a 12-year roller coaster ride with that disease. The past few years, however, have been pretty busy, and sometimes I forget about this meaning of pink.  Saturday's pre-dance photos reminded me.

We have no idea what diseases B. may be genetically predisposed to, and can only hope and pray for the best.

  I recently explained to her what the teal ribbons around town meant (September is Ovarian Cancer awareness month) and now she has to learn about pink too.

When she sees these ribbons, she says "look Mama, there's the reminding ribbons for girls and mamas to be healthy, right???"

"Yes, Bea. You have to take good care of of your body so you can dance and do somersaults and live for a long, long time."

"And only have ice cream once in a while, right Mama?"  "Yes, Bea, so your heart stays strong."

"And pink means princesses and  fairies too, right Mama?"  "Yes, Bea, you are a beautiful pink fairy."

May you live a long healthy life, my girl, and may better treatments, preventions and cures for all cancers, particularly those that affect women, be in your lifetime.

Thanks to my godson Erik for "playing for the cure" this month with his soccer club in Virginia.  It takes a strong teenage boy to put on the pink, and even more strength for a teenager to stop and think for a minute (publicly) about a disease that he will (almost positively) never have to worry about taking over his body.

                                                   

                                                   

 Thank you to my daughter and my godson for reminding me of the importance of pink this month and always.