support GoodnightGrace in her fund-raising efforts for the MS Society.

yikes, I hope I didn’t totally blow this goal by making local donations. GoodnightGrace’s efforts created awareness on which I acted.

In honour of my old friend Susanna, who taught me a crucial lesson about asking for and accepting help.

I was lying in a hospital bed in the middle of one of my first few bouts of Crohn’s, and feeling singularly useless. She came by to play a game of Scrabble with me. I remarked on how I didn’t know how I’d ever pay back all the kindness I’d been receiving from people – some of whom I scarcely knew.

She said, “You know, letting people help you or give to you is a gift to them.”

I said, “Whuh?” (Must have been the drugs. I’m usually a bit more articulate. I was whupping her at Scrabble.)

Her reply: “Think of how good you feel when you get to help someone else. Now, every time you let someone help you, you’re giving that person the opportunity to feel good in just that way. It would be a shame to deprive others of the chance to give to you.”

I’ve never again looked at receiving help, kindness, and caring the same way.

She was diagnosed with MS a few years back. So while my donation is of course meant to support GoodnightGrace, it’s dedicated to Susanna.

I’ve made my pledge, and invited a bunch of people to join this goal. Not much more I can do right now, but I’ll be keeping an eye on GG’s goal and on her donation page, with a view to stirring up more money awareness as the event approaches.

I’ll be back!

GoodnightGrace has signed up to do the MS150 bike ride and wants a hundred people to each sponsor her to the tune of ten bucks. Individually, it’s not much. Combined, it’s a sizeable sum. So, I want everyone who can afford it to go here and pledge a tenner, or more. If you can’t afford it, how about spreading the word, telling your friends and family? Let’s do this for her.