Hope.

The Relay For Life

After years of being involved with the Relay for Life, I had never really thought about it's symbolism.

It is in all 

essence beautiful.

Starting at dusk and ending at dawn;

The night-long walk is symbolic of a cancer patient.

As the sun goes down, the cancer patient

(wife,

mother,

 daughter,

 husband,
father,

son,

 brother,

 friend,

 co-worker)

feels an uncertainty 

about one's future.

The sun goes down and it is night. Just as the Relay participants start to feel cold, fatigued and exhausted, so does the cancer patient. 

The cancer patient has begun treatment.

The laps around the track become 

increasingly unbearable. 

Legs are tired. Bodies and minds are tired.

But they keep going. Keep walking.

And hope is shining through each of those bags.

Through each of those hearts.

Until morning finally comes. 

People young and old begin their trek home.

It is the end of the cancer treatment.

The sun is rising

and hope

for a new day has come.