The Walk

The Parkinson's Unity Walk... Wow; what an experience that was. It was uplifting and yet sad in some ways, happy and bittersweet. It was proud and defiant, yet humbling as well. To see all those thousands of people whose lives have been altered by PD in the same ways that the lives of my family and myself have been... well, it's indescribable.

It was also unexpectedly physically challenging for me. I think it was because it was so hot (around 85 degrees), and we had to sit still so long waiting for the speechifying to finish up. Anyway, for whatever reason, my leg started acting up again about halfway through and I had to depend on my cane to finish the walk. I made it, though! It was so great to have my family and friends there with me, too.

Regrets:
1) Friends that couldn't make it there.
2) Not being able to meet with everyone that I knew, and not having enough time with those I did meet.
3) Getting separated from most of the team.
4) Not being able to get the people around us to sing with us as we played our little ukulele song!

Special joys:
1) The weather. It was hot, but so beautiful! I'd rather have that than rain and cold any day.
2) Meeting so many "famous" people for the first time face to face (like Cherie, and Rachenista, and Tigger Girl, and Mamamia, and Dixie Pixie, and Dylis, and Moakes and Jeana, and ... well, you all know who you are!).
3) Seeing our beautiful quilt unfolded for the first time, and seeing the admiration and appreciation on everyone's faces.
4) Just observing all the different people there; babies, children, young adults, baby boomers like us, older people, people of all colors and types. I smile when I think of the group of young guys with their skateboards who just came in off the street and walked with us for a while. After about 10 minutes, one of them asked "So... what are we marching for?". Love it.