Saturday, April 5th I was invited to speak at the Tea for Life, a yearly fund raiser for the American Cancer Society. An honor I quickly found myself so unworthy of. My day starts with my dear friend Kathy Brown greeting me and escorting me to our table. Which was designed around my blog, I was elated and humbled… beyond touched. This was the beginning of a powerful journey I was to take this day.
Our table dressed in all things horse, from apples, carrots fresh from Kathy’s garden, weeds from the river bottom where we ride, photos on wooden blocks adored with grapes and photos of my gal pals, Val and Mya, plates with cracked white paint, an old board with horse shoes, burlap flowered napkin holders, just beautiful and all in green just like my blog page… needless to say I was speechless and my heart touched.

Kathy seats me next to her and Sandy, who I discover latter, along with her, that she is to the recipient of the Black Flag Cancer Award… you see Sandy has dedicated her life to raise funds to fight this war after the loss of a dear friend. Sandy is surprised that she is to be awarded this today and between her tears of joy she shares with the room of 240 women that she found out last week that she has breast cancer. We are the first to know, as she wasn’t ready to share… this is where the day takes it’s journey and I along for the incredible ride.

After Sandy is seated, we take a break… we need to digest the news and catch our breath. I am next to speak… well who am I to talk to this room of Warriors? Me, I have never walked in their shoes, I have just sat on the sidelines to help encourage my Grandson through his battle, and watch hopelessly as my dear friends Jaime and Clark loose their battle to this thing that consumes our life’s, suddenly I wish to sit and not say a word. Kathy introduces me and I take the stage and begin to speak about the Childhood Cancer that steals the life from our children….bla bla bla is what I hear from me and the sound of my internal voice saying Sharon this room is full of woman who should be up here not you… hurry finish and sit down. I complete my speech, and sit down… glad to have it over. Cathi Hill speaks next of her incredible journey from near death to being here to share her story… a miracle. Not an easy story to tell nor a journey at its end… she still fights everyday.
Speeches are over and we move to the auction and raffle gifts, while I am blessed to be able to encourage Sandy and sprinkle water on brand new friendship… yet another gift for this day.
I need to show you all the beautiful tables that the ladies donated their monies and time to…it was a wonderland.












The day reminds me of the power of women, no bond ever so strong, well with the exception of that of a woman and her horse, but then again its a woman!
To my new sisters, may your walk in the war against cancer be filled with the peace knowing that we are walking alongside you in this war we have waged. May you always feel the power in the room at the Tea.