Tomorrow morning is the Susan Komen Race for the Cure 5K at Disney's Animal Kingdom park. And tomorrow I am doing something I have not yet done in any of the races I have run. I am dedicating this race to someone - to my mother-in-law, Nancy Bouwens, who left this world to be with her Lord on Nov. 28, 2001 after losing a lengthy battle to breast cancer.
As I paste her picture on an unused race number to pin to my back as I run, I begin to realize how much I miss her. She was a hard working woman, having raised 4 boys (and since my husband was one of them, I can understand why she spent so much time praying). The phrase that best describes her, at least to me, is that she was a woman of God. Her faith and love served and inspired all around her. Tomorrow, as I run 3.1 miles to help raise money for breast cancer research, I do it knowing that it would be the kind of thing she would be proud for me to do.
Although it has been nearly 5 years since she physically left us, it has not diminished the feeling of loss I have. I feel like she keeps watch over our family, and is certainly here with us in spirit. Still, I miss her.
As runners, we run for many different reasons. Tomorrow, I run for Nancy.
1 comment:
Hi there Chris, This is Laura, we met today at the race.. It was a great day for me.. I greatly enjoyed it and I think I am hooked.
Thanks for the note.. Yes, I want to do the race in Dec. My time was 44 minutes today, not my best, but with the crowds, it was ok. What was yours? My email is mstluvcatz@aol.com ... See you in print soon.. Laura
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