Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Ignore the Boundaries

My Facebook page “Likes” have surpassed 800.  Thank you SO much…I never would have thought that a few months ago that I would even have 20 people following my page.  It means a lot.
One of my personal traits (quirks most likely) is that I tend to make lists.  I can make a great list of projects (and not complete one), Christmas gifts (but hate to shop) and just random stuff.  For my Facebook page, I started to keep a list of all the people that have “liked” it.  All 800 plus!
I recently modified the list a bit and included where folks live.  Many people keep such information private on their Facebook page (I don’t blame them), but I still have a pretty good idea how widespread the readership has reached.  By my count, I’ve been visited by at least 33 states and 10 countries! My Blogspot statistics show that I've had nearly 15,000 pageviews fomr even more countries.  Amazing!  Honestly, it’s not the location of “likers” that amazes me, but the diversity of the people.
I’ve been very pleased to see teenagers follow our words, and humbled by compliments from those who are more elderly and wiser than me.  There are people who have very strong Christian faith, those who follow other faiths as devoutly, and some that follow no set religion at all.  I’ve seen photos of heavily tattooed or pierced individuals, and images of pure untouched innocence.  And I’ve sensed great wealth from a few and financial hardship from others.  All these people from all walks of life are brought together by one thing.  Melanoma
That nasty sneaky brutal son of a gun…melanoma…has proven to be a force to bond across many boundaries.  While the Beast prefers lighter-toned skin and the practices of tanning addicts, it still touches all races.  It bows to no higher power as it invades people of any religion or belief.  It ignores any age difference.  It has no political preference as I’ve seen it affect conservative tea partiers and liberal occupiers.
Unlike forces of nature like earthquakes or tsunamis, melanoma feels far more personal to those who have been attacked.  A storm may affect hundreds in an isolated area, but the disease has a way of affecting thousands worldwide while still feeling like it’s picking on the one person.  The only way we can beat it is use its own power against it. 
Melanoma ignores boundaries and so should we.  We need to bond together as individuals spread around the world to raise awareness and fight this thing.  We must forget whether or not the person next to us worships in the same house, has a different sexual orientation, or is more or less well-off than yourself.  It’s time to clasp hands and join as one to fight melanoma.  It’s a lesson that the disease itself teaches us. 
Ignore the boundaries.

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