The Intersection of Dreams and Reality

Tuesday evening the family trekked downtown to the Promise Me book signing at Politics and Prose.  It was important to me that the kids meet and speak with the book's author, Ambassador Nancy Brinker, also the founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Based on a deathbed promise made to her sister Suzy who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the tender age of 33, Nancy Brinker channeled her passion, energy, grace, spirit, entrepreneurism and went on to blaze a new trail in advocacy and fundraising.
Today, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the largest non-profit provider of breast cancer-related funding, generating over $1.5B in the last 30 years.  WOW!  Because of this drive, this vision of Nancy's, I'm here today living my dream.  I was also diagnosed at 33 but 24 years later, there was awareness, research, advocacy and educated medical professionals to support my journey.  This promise from Nancy to Suzy saved my life.  Furthermore, the research funding made it possible for me to not only undergo early stage treatment but to also defy the odds and go on to have two children post-chemo.  This is one of life's inexplicable miracles.
So we stood in line, books in hand, and got to the table where Author Nancy Brinker was signing her book.  She looked up, smiled in recognition and looked at the boys, knowing full well that she was witnessing one of the glories of her work.  She chatted with Aidan for a while, learning about his school, favorite subject, sport and hobbies (he made his mother proud).  She did the same with Ethan as she signed both their books.  These are invaluable keepsakes in our home, inscribed with the phrase "you are a miracle" by the woman who helped make the miracle of their being possible.
I looked on, overwhelmed by how far we've come and how much further we have to go, catching my breath at the intersection of dreams and reality.