Where to begin
This LOTOJA thing has been a thing for me personally for many years. Initially it was just something to do - I guess. One year I hadn't prep'd nearly as much as the years previously and....lets just say I bailed very early in the race. Having left with a gut wrenching effect, I committed that type of thing would never happen again. The off season that year was not great. A kid I grew up with died, that was kind of an eye opener. No, he didn't succumb to the Big-C, but that really didn't matter. A few months later, it seemed liked a good idea to do this (LOTOJA) with a purpose. That's when I started my affiliation with what was then called "Huntsman Hometown Heroes". Like everyone else, cancer has hit close over the years. It was the second year with HHH I started the blog, and "Riding with a Porpoise". A lot has changed since then, more than one can remember. Through that time there have been several co-workers, friends, classmates, and so on, that have lost their battles with the Big-C. Most recently, this past year, another kid from my graduating class was taken by this insidious disease - (Jeff R). That was before this whole Covid thing. Here we are, less than two weeks out, and things are as uncertain as ever.
Taking a little time, I went back to a an old yearbook and scanned through pages of people I have long since forgotten. That was a long time ago, and I've moved on - to say the least. This wasn't like an in depth "review" just a quick look, but the one person that jumped out at me was our old buddy Amy. We started kindergarten together. Had known her since I was five. Had her in several classes over those years, ran track, and all the other stuff you take for granted. She was killed by a fluke falling tree that hit her truck on her way home from a shift at the fire department. She signed that yearbook,...... "Always, Amy". Then there was Todd. A year older than me and a kid that lived in my neighborhood. He was killed just before I graduated, during his first year at college. As I briefly scanned through the images and messages left by so many, the count of those that have since passed was too many to mention. Hard to forget, but you can't live in that past.
Fruit Snacks in the pocket
As had been the case dozens of times over several years, I was finishing a long week in Brazil. Taking the usual late night, Friday ride out of Gaurulhos (Sao Paulo), I was sitting in the SkyRoom trying to get some reports done, prior to boarding. Having traveled enough, I understood the importance of keeping stuff like Cliff Bars and water in the backpack. There was a young family there, waiting for their flight, with a little kid that was just going crazy. This is in a room full (overly full) of burned out business people, all wanting to get home. Having an appreciation for what these parents were dealing with, I checked one of my pockets and found a stash of pre-packaged fruit snacks. I offered them to one of the parents, in my poor excuse for Portuguese. The end result was a near miracle. Rationing out the individual fruit snacks, the mother kept things well under control. I'm sure they had enough snacks to get them on their flight. I've lost track of the number of times the stuff I carried on these trips made a difference for someone else. The point is, these thing all cost next to nothing, but they proved nearly invaluable to someone else. The lesson learned; a little of what I can give may go along way for someone else.
So....here we are
We are at the end of this years campaign (for Huntsman). Almost everything else was cancelled due to Covid. LOTOJA is pretty much the only thing that didn't get scrubbed, and even those numbers are down. It has been a crappy year for pretty much everyone, but we are turning a corner. If you have made it this far, I ask that you consider your situation and remember anyone from your past that made you realize your own mortality, the frailness of life, or simply how lucky we all have been in our pursuits. Really think about that person, or people and the hole left by their absence, and then give. Not much, just give something to someone else, and then say the name of the person that you are remembering. Follow the link to Huntsman, buy someone a cup of soup, a little petrol, or something that will bring the sunshine into their day. Use your better judgment. If you donate to Huntsman, you may do so anonymously, but write for whom you are remembering in the appropriate place. Do be generic, but specific. Names matter.
If you want a little more prodding, visit these previous posts:
Make a difference this week, wherever it may be, but remember to say that name.
Swing back for more at the end of this week.
Ride HARD!
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