“Life isn’t about waiting
for the storm to pass.
It’s about learning how
to dance in the rain.” 
Vivian Greene

Would it be an exaggeration for me to claim that yesterday was one of the best days of my life? I don’t think so. I had the opportunity to join my friend, Rob Gibbs, and others who are living with the nightmare of Multiple Myeloma, in a 5K fundraising walk in San Francisco. When Rob first invited me to participate in the event, I thought I was doing him a favor. After my experience on a picturesque San Francisco day yesterday, I realize that Rob had done me a favor.

The annual walk began at the Marina Green, on the north side of The City. Dozens of cancer patients, along with their families and friends, gathered to celebrate hope — hope that, some day, there will be a cure for Multiple Myeloma. I was reminded that “hope” is an acronym: Have Only Positive Expectations. Following the opening ceremony, which was highlighted by an optimistic and inspirational testimonial by a woman who continues to struggle with the cancer in her life, walkers headed out for the 5K course which took us on a loop through Crissy Field. As I mentioned, the weather was spectacular, as were the views of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Tamalpias, and Alcatraz Island. 

I had the pleasure of walking with a variety of interesting people, many who I had not known prior to yesterday’s event. Conversations were lively. They seemed to mirror the unwavering positivity of the keynote speaker. 

The walk was short (five kilometers is just over three miles) and easy, as it involved none of San Francisco’s challenging hills. For me, however, it was just the beginning of another day of walking in The City. At the conclusion of the fundraising event, I walked from the Marina Green to Fishermans’s Wharf, where I enjoyed lunch at Capurro’s Restaurant. From there, I continued along the Embarcadero and past Oracle Park to the CalTrain station on Fourth Street. In all, I logged 26,000 steps on the day — a little more than ten miles.

For more than sixteen years now, I have enjoyed viewing my life, and life around me, through the lens of gratitude. Yesterday I experienced a mega-dose of gratefulness. I was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the event. I was grateful for the physical ability to walk the 5K course… and more. I was grateful to spend time with Rob, his wife Cathy (one of my elementary school classmates), and a number of their family members. I was grateful to reconnect with some of Rob’s friends who I had met previously, and to have been introduced to several others. I was grateful for a sun-filled spring day in The City. But there’s more.

I am especially grateful to those who made contributions through my fundraising site to financially support Multiple Myeloma research by sponsoring me on yesterday’s walk. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Together, we added almost $1,500 to the $180,000 raised in this event. These funds are needed now, more than ever, as federal funding for cancer research is being withdrawn. There is still no cure for Multiple Myeloma, but improvements in treatment through the years are allowing cancer patients to live longer, more productive lives. Hope for a cure is still very much a reality.