Thankful for 2013 Reaches Chicago

Together, in just over two months, Chris and Alex have run/ biked/ swam roughly the equivalent distance from Charlottesville to Chicago...and back! And while they haven't actually traveled to Chicago, their message has.

Through their campaign, Chris and Alex have reminded us to be thankful for this great gift of life - more specifically, to live each day to the fullest, to always seek opportunities to push ourselves toward our greatest potential, and to inspire and help others however we can. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you." And that's exactly what Chris and Alex are doing with this campaign - taking action and leading by example.

I was so inspired by the Thankful for 2013 campaign that in mid-January I decided to embark on a journey of my own in Chicago. To date, I've biked over 250 miles and hope to pay it forward the same way Chris and Alex have in Charlottesville. When Chris first asked me to write a guest post, like Alex I was a bit apprehensive about sharing my experience publicly. But then I realized that if Chris hadn't shared his journey with me, I may not have been inspired to embark on one of my own. I thank Chris for providing this encouragement.

I want to conclude this post by congratulating Chris and Alex on their incredible progress to date, and to thank them for inspiring me and others to live life to the fullest while at the same time helping those in need. I think Abraham Lincoln put it best when he said, "and in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

Thankful for 2013. Thankful for life. And thankful for the far-reaching impact of this great campaign.

 

Written by Rob Lane