Two weeks ago, I was honored to be a part of the Take Steps walk for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. As a Colitis warrior, it was a very emotional and inspiring event for me to be a part of. I'm so thankful for my parents and Fred being there to support me and walk with me. They have been there every step of the way for me in my battle and they're true heroes. At times they have dropped everything to care for me as if I were still a little child. They've spent countless hours in hospitals and doctors offices with me and they've loved me every step of the way. I was diagnosed with the disease in what should have been my last year of college. My sickness kept me from graduating on the date I had planned, but I'm convinced I would not have graduated at all without their help, encouragement and action.
I love the quote,
When "I" is replaced with "we" even illness becomes wellness.
- Malcolm X
I want to bring awareness to this disease on my blog. This disease has turned my world upside down. It's a relentless, full-time disease and it demands your entire life and body. You might think the tone of an event like this would be depressing or defeated, but it was exactly the opposite! The fighters of this disease fight many dark battles, but they find a deep, internal hope and strength that many others don't ever need to cultivate. Tears burned in my eyes as I saw and felt all of the people walking with me, beside me, in front of me, behind me and cheering me on from the sideline. This disease I carry feels very lonely but for those brief moments, I didn't feel so alone.
Crohn's and Colitis are chronic, inflammatory diseases that affect your colon and your digestive tract. Unfortunately, they affect a lot more in your body than you'd think! With them being chronic, autoimmune diseases, there is currently no cure and no universally effective treatment. We need more events like these, because we need a cure! We need caring people to be aware and to fundraise for research and treatment. I can't imagine feeling this way as a child, but an estimated 80,000 U.S kids are living this reality.
For me, this walk felt like I could finally physically express some of the pain and weight that I've carried in my struggle. Walking alongside so many people that felt like me, made me feel strong and free. This might sound silly, but it was a day my soul shined. Some days go by in a blur and we can't always feel our soul. I might sound crazy, but it's just hard to explain haha! But I felt my soul free from some of the weight it had been carrying. Not to mention, it was such a beautiful day for the walk!
No matter what dark forces you're facing today, please know that you aren't alone. There is hidden pain inside all of us.
We're all just walking each other home.
-Ram Dass
It's gonna be hard. It's not always gonna be easy.
But even if our cure doesn't come, we can still find the strength to
choose joy
fight the good fight
& believe.
This is a very personal post for me. I know it's unlike the fun stuff I usually post about, but I hope you enjoyed it!
Have a happy happy w e e k e n d friends!
Christina xx
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Prayer is the cure for a confused mind, a weary soul, and a broken heart.
- Pinterest find
❤️
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