Special Edition: The Bonus Blitz

Greetings, Blitzers. What a lovely day! Took a stroll in the park this evening, just to enjoy the spring weather here in Southern California -- and get in a little exercise. I've been spending way too much time parked in front of the computer. I know. Soooo not healthy. That's something I was reminded of very recently. And that leads me to our PhotoBlitz Special Edition: The Bonus Blitz! Sound amazing? Oh, it is.


One of the rewards of Blitzing, or any creative activity, is the personal fulfillment it brings. It's a way to tune in, relax, and go with the flow. I imagine it's what surfing is like. (Minus the sharks, seaweed, and sand in your shorts.) But sometimes that passionate, tuned-in focus can become self-absorbed. That's not good, because creative gifts want to be shared. That's where the Bonus Blitz comes in. The Bonus Blitz is where you take your unique talent and find a way to share it. Best case scenario: you use it to help someone else. You do good, you feel good, and it's all good. That's the Bonus.


This past Saturday, Tim and I had the privilege of attending the opening ceremony of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Hemet, California. The Relay for Life is a time to Celebrate those who have fought against cancer, Remember those who lost the battle, and Fight Back against the disease through education, personal commitment, and fund-raising. It is a 24-hour event where relay teams keep one member on the track at all times, to remind people that cancer never sleeps. It is an incredibly moving event where communities gather together in a huge show of support and love.


Tim & I were invited to the event by our friend, Martha, a committee member and herself a survivor. We were both eager to help document the morning, as both Tim and I have had our lives touched by cancer. Tim's father successfully battled it, as did my mother. But I know the sorrow of loss as well: in early 1994, just months after being married, my husband was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. It was inoperable and he was given only months to live. After a long and agonizing fight, he died, just three weeks after our first anniversary, My father-in-law died almost two years later, also from cancer. So the opportunity to publicize this effort, which may help save someone else from this fate, is beyond an honor; it is an obligation.


Visit The American Cancer Society to educate yourself about how you can keep yourself healthy and fight against cancer.


Click here for more pics from this incredible event. Thank you, Hemet Relay for Life Participants. YOU are the truly awesome!