Love Unconditionally

Stephanie Perl-McPhee has a huge reputation in the knitting world.  She's known for stitching like the wind, writing funny, but real books, and teaching knitting to eager students far and wide.  She hails from Toronto, Canada.  What people outside the knitting world might not be aware is that Stephanie has an enormous heart...strike "enormous," I mean ginormous.

Stephanie has been training and fundraising feverishly to participate in a bicycle ride.  Not just a ride around the park, mind you, I'm talking forming teams, raising money, and biking, along with over 300 riders, from Toronto to Montreal in support of "Friends for Life" who are living with HIV/AIDS.  Imagine clocking over 90 km [that's biking 55 miles for those not on the imperial system] per day in order to support people you don't know, but love anyway?  Not to mention investing a week of one's life, facing risk on the road, and commanding one's body to push ahead...taking it to the limit.

As I sit here dreading tomorrow, the fear churning as I face tomorrow's funeral.  There are distinct differences in Stephanie's and my circumstances.  First, she chose to ride her bike 300 miles for a cause; I did not choose to say goodbye to my parents.  Second, she's using her body to better a cause; tomorrow bids goodbye to a family.

However, the similarities are stronger, deeper, richer.  She risked butt burn and aching muscles out of love, so did I.  She doubted her ability, so did I.  Stephanie felt the fear and did it anyway and so will I.

Peace,



[If you'd like to read more about Stephanie's journey, click here]