fear

weiselcantlin2

Relay For Life – The Silent Lap

Relay For Life

I have been asked to read the following poem that I wrote at the Gardner, MA Relay For Life 2014.  I am extremely honored and excited.  Cancer has taken the lives of several relatives and friends and I have several relatives and friends who are also amazing survivors.  Hope, Pray, Fight for a cure!!

 

Relay For Life – The Silent Lap

More than a thousand people
On a quarter-mile track.
Gardner, MA
One of the largest Relay’s in North America.
So many people
Focusing on how cancer has touched their lives.
The silent lap begins.

Thoughts turn
To celebrating the Survivors;
Our loved ones,
Other people who have shared their stories,
The differences they have made
In other people’s lives
Through their journey,
All they’ve done since their diagnosis.
We are filled with gratitude
That they are still with us.
Silence.

The walk
Turns to a shuffle
As the track is filled,
One by one by people
Who are filled with sorrow and hope.

Silence falls over the large crowd
Except for a few teenagers
Playing basketball away from the track,
Unaware of the depths of what they miss.
Even the children are silent.
The tiniest of babies, are silent.
Memories,
Gratitude.
Hope.
Tears fall.
Silence.

We remember those
Who have lost their battle with cancer.
Luminaries line the track…
There are far too many and we wish there were none.
There are decorated in honor of…
Relatives,
Sisters, brothers, parents;
Grandparents;
Aunts, Uncles, Cousins.
We look for ones we recognize.
Friends
Coworkers,
Acquaintances,
Those who have touched our lives,
Loved and cared for us,
Made us laugh,
Made our lives better because they were here.
Memories.
Silence.

People standing
On the side of the track,
Missing their loved ones,
Praying for the survivors,
Hoping for a cure.
We are all united as one.
Thousands within a half mile radius
Contributing to the search for a cure.
Hopes and prayers
That no one else they know
Is added to the list they honor
At a fundraiser.
Silence.

In honor,
In memory,
In celebration of life,
With hopes for a cure.
Silence.

 

Please “Like” below if this has touched your heart and “Share” by using the buttons below if you feel others will be touched as well.

Advertisement
weiselcantlin2

What Is Your Relationship To Fear

(Did your watch the VERY SHORT 46 second video above?)  How did it make you feel?

Halloween is only days away.  There are currently so many different types of frightful events going on close to us this time of year.  We plan on visiting one of the scariest Haunted Theme Park’s in New England tonight, “Spookyworld – Nightmare New England.”  This got me thinking, if we can condition our bodies to get used to something, build up physical endurance, learn new coping mechanisms based on our experiences, etc., would it be possible to be completely fearless when something jumps out at us unexpectedly.  If we were surrounded by this on a consistent basis, could we become desensitized?  I suppose it would take extreme personal awareness and a great deal of energy to not be startled.

1385475_10151729930198456_636669772_nSo what is the psychology behind this type of fear?  Why do we love it, even crave it?  Perhaps it’s the adrenaline rush, that thrill we get after reacting to something so unexpected and the joy of watching our friends jump where they stand.  Perhaps it’s different for each of us.

For those of you who follow my other blog, Where The Ghosts Live – The Haunted United States you may have already read that I recently visited an actual haunted house that is a hotbed for paranormal activity.  I didn’t have any problems with fear there, and I had a few encounters with the supernatural.  The problem is, that I am more afraid of the living than the dead.  With that being said, tonight should have me shaking in my sneaks.

What is your relationship to fear?  Do you like to be scared?  Do you seek out attractions like this so you can get that adrenaline rush?  Or does the thought of being frightened by someone in a mask or amazing makeup, or even a paranormal experience, make you want to run for the hills?  I want to hear from you…

Thank you for stopping by!

Missy Bell

Source:

weiselcantlin2

Faith And Inspiration To Lead You To Success

“All thoughts which have been emotionalized (given feeling) and mixed with faith begin immediately to translate themselves into their physical equivalent or counterpart.” – Napoleon Hill

What are you telling yourself that is stopping you from success?  What are those internally spoken words that you have faith in, that are stopping you from getting through a tough situation?  What if you could change your belief, have faith in yourself; what would you accomplish?  Have you ever stopped to think about this?

This quote takes me back a month or so to when my husband and I did the Spartan Race in Vermont.  The major obstacle was to climb the Killington Mountain Black Diamond 3,000+ feet to the peak.  I’m glad I didn’t know that when we got there.  It took everything I had, or so I thought, to climb to the last plateau.  As we rounded the last curve I realized it was not the last,  There was a vertical climb, straight up to the summit.  I thought we had already reached the summit!  After several hours of climbing already, I had given it all I ad and I didn’t have any more.  I took one look at that vertical insanity and said to my husband, “there is no way I can do that… <short pause> but I WILL!”

Inspiration

It was in that moment I had to flip the switch in my head and change my disbelief to faith, faith in myself, in my body and in my mind.

As I ascended the steep rocky climb to the top, I would tell myself, just take 20 steps then you can rest.  I took 20 and added 10 or more.  My heart was beating through my chest, my body covered in dirt, sweat pouring down my face and my legs were ready to give out from under me. I was more than twice the weight of 95% of the participants.  I would take a break for a few minutes, listening to the encouragement of people as they passed me by.  I knew they could cheer me on all day, that’s not what was going to get me to the top and back to the bottom, it was my own thoughts.  If I didn’t believe I could, I knew I would fail.  The recurring exclamation that I heard was an, “I PAID FOR THIS?”  It wasn’t just me.  Even the athletes were struggling.

I had to dig deep, sometimes with every step, keeping the attitude and faith that I could make it. Not only did I make it to the top, I made the descent, having to crawl backwards down very rocky terrain.  My husband, who is always my biggest supported confided afterwards that once he saw that last climb, straight up, he too thought there was no way I was going to make it to the top. I am not sharing this for the accolades, I am hoping you will draw inspiration from this story.  It was not my physical ability that got me to the top, or back down.  It was nothing more than the belief that I could and one baby step at a time.  That is what drove me.  I If I can do this, with the power of thought, what can you accomplish?  It is as simple as having faith that you can succeed at whatever you set your mind to, whether it be a business venture, a physical adventure, or overcoming something that has struck you down emotionally.  You must have faith in yourself. Perhaps you are not aware of exactly what the path will look like.  It will take planning and effort but you must first believe.  Follow me here as I go into further detail of how to strengthen your beliefs in order to reach your goals. Thank you for stopping in today. Missy Bell