Season of Gratitude
Thank you… May be muttered sharply, shrouded in contempt.
Thank you… May be sung with perky satisfaction in response to a generous compliment.
Thank you… May sound hushed, accompanied by a sigh of relief after a burden has been lifted.
How important, then, are the undertones by which we convey these words? We wield the power to use the same collection of vowels and consonants to stir animosity or convey our most sincere gratitude. On the other hand, we can utter these words void of real emotion, an effortless canned response; a habit of “good manners.” So, we are left with the question–what is the best means to express our gratitude to those that have supported and encouraged us thus far in our journey? The words of W.T. Purkiser seemed to resonate:
“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” ― W.T. Purkiser
To our presenting sponsor, UPMC, and the individuals from UPMC that have generously donated their talents to spread the word about PH and have provided resources that will get us to the starting line; to Primal Wear, who have scrutinized our race wear design so that it reflects our mission as well as it performs; to the crew at Big Bang Bicycles, who have poured their time into preparing our equipment to withstand the demands of training and to ease the burden of the race; to Fiks Reflective, devoted to keeping us safe on the road; to Actelion and United Therapeutics, who strive to support us in support of their own patients; to TumblTrak, Printscape, SoulRun and West Liberty Cycles for their generous donations of gear and apparel for the team and our supporters; to Endurance Performance and Cycling Fusion, who have guided us in building the strength and stamina needed to get to the finish line; to our families, friends and supporters who have donated to Team PH to help find a cure for PH, and to those who continue to support our spirits in numerous ways in this journey; to the PH community and the PHA, for lighting the fire in our bellies, for whom this whole adventure reflects our commitment, and for whom we have the utmost respect and admiration… thank you. But more importantly, let us prove our thankfulness with action.
We will commit ourselves to training and healthy living. We will strive to reflect the same determination and hope of the community we are racing for, and to promote the quality of care, goods and services that our sponsors have lavished on us. We will push to the ends of ourselves to accomplish the task ahead, even if we are given the luxury of failure – something that those we race for are not. The Race of Our Lives won’t be won by four women, but we hope that by reaching our finish line, we will get you closer to yours.
Happy Thanksgiving, from Team PHenomenal Hope
