Do you have a guilt problem? Man, I do. I can feel guilty over big things, small things, dumb things, ridiculous things, important things, things I cannot control, things I should be trying harder to control... and that's just in one day. I have first-world guilt, stay at home mom guilt, white person guilt, east coast guilt, my pantry is too full guilt, too much Bravo tv guilt, and lately I have been having a lot of 'my kids are too healthy ' guilt. Then I feel guilty about that, because I should never have any negative feelings about my girls being healthy... they deserve that and I am SO blessed to be able to say that. (And by the way, I never use words like "blessed," so this is really saying something.)
(See? Blessed.)
But the thing is, every kid deserves that, and some of them don't have that good fortune right now. Lately I have been learning a lot about pediatric cancer (a general term), the families it affects and the children who are nothing less than insanely tough fighters. There are blogs and websites devoted to these kids that will bum the living hell out of you, and I speak from experience because I have spent, oh, 45 out of the last 60 nights reading them and crying and hating cancer more than I already did.
But they will also inspire you. I have noticed that all these kids seem to have at least one thing in common besides stupid cancer: hope. But it is different than the kind of hope we adults have, where fingers are crossed and prayers are said and we hope for the best but brace for the worst. These kids just have a bright outlook. They know they are sick, but they refuse to let it dampen their spirits. They have their low days, their down times and they get tired, but they are kids, and kids love life and live it to the fullest, and these kids do not let cancer take that away from them. So when I didn't sleep great, have too much on my to-do list, my kids are being bad, I am mad about something -- whatever -- I try and remember these kids and what I can learn from them. Mostly I just want them to get better. But sometimes I do allow them to teach me a lesson. Which is to shut the hell up and be happy, 'cause really, what do I have to complain about? (Other things too, but that one is the biggie.)
With that in mind, I recently read about this organization over on Runs for Cookies. Headbands of Hope is run by a gorgeous model woman named Jessica whose life was changed when she volunteered for the Make a Wish Foundation. She was moved by little girls fighting cancer and that, despite how tough they were, some of them were really troubled by losing their hair due to their aggressive chemotherapies. She had an idea to donate pretty, feminine headbands to girls who had lost their hair to their cancer treatments. She started Headbands of Hope to enable her to increase these donations, because, my friends -- for every headband you purchase from her site, she donates another one to a girl with cancer who could really use it and $1 to St. Baldrick's, a well-known children's cancer charity (they also help her distribute the donated headbands). I am thinking that a sweet little headband is more than just a fashion accessory for a girl who has lost her hair -- it probably represents a lot more... femininity, being able to focus on looking pretty and fashionable instead of focusing on being sick, regaining confidence, etc. So you get a pretty headband for you or any girl you know and you help out a little girl with cancer in the process! Talk about a win-win!
Let's talk fashion exclusively for a quick moment. Guys, these headbands are cute. They really are attractive and the flower/bow thing is definitely all the rage right now. They also have sparkly glitter stretch headbands that I really like, they are a little sportier but still feminine. I am not typically one to care about what's "in," but these are both stylish and on trend (as the trendsters say) and they have lots of patterns and colors to choose from. They are definitely a TON cuter than the ones I see in the stores. Plus, they have sizes that fit babies all the way to adults.
My only wish would be that Headbands of Hope be a nonprofit, which it is not. But regardless, I cannot think of a better way to show support and solidarity for girls with cancer, so I will be purchasing a couple of these cuties for my little girls, so two other cuties can get their headbands! I will let the girls choose which ones they want, but I am really hoping one of them chooses this one:
So pretty! Maybe I will turn into a headband-wearer!
Anyway, please take a moment to go check out Headbands of Hope and see if you can get a little shopping done for the girls and women-folk in your life, and brighten the day of a little girl with cancer at the same time!
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