"Fortune favors the brave." -- Virgil

I am hoping I got that Virgil quote right -- I'm sending it to Tracy, who went through her fourth and final chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer today. She'll be there to see over 3,000 of us off on Friday morning. She sent me best wishes for the walk last night, and here is part of her exhortation:


" Let the momentum carry you for as long as you can. When it can't carry you any longer, think about me doing my 4th chemo when I so badly wanted to quit after the 1st one. And take one more step. When that doesn't carry you anymore, think of ____, who gets up every day knowing that she is battling cancer and she still gets out of bed and goes on with her life. And take one more step. When that doesn't carry you anymore, start counting people. When you get to 8, realize that the person you are looking at might be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. And take one more step.

If by chance your body gives out and you have given all you can give remember that you have done more for breast cancer than many people do in a lifetime -- maybe it will be a dollar from the money that you have raised that tips the scales."

That last sentence is the one I have fastened on. I insist that I will walk to honor the brave ones, but Tracy shows me related personal motivation as well. I like to make a difference in the world. And it might just be the dollars I've raised that indeed tips the scales to a cure.