This Bead Will Travel

As I was walking through the woods today, I slipped one of my hands in my coat pocket to shelter it from the cold. Forgetting that I had a pocket-full of miscellaneous items in there, I wiggled my fingers around to help identify and confirm that what I had put in there in the beginning of my walk was still safe and sound.

Chapstick, check. Lens cap, check. Cell phone, check. Car keys, check.

But there was one more item I had to check. Something special. Something small.

I pulled out my car keys and focused on the green spotted bead that I was now holding in the palm of my hand.

Check.

"So why is this bead so special?" you might ask...

This bead is a sister-bead to one that has been given to a child battling a serious illness. In the Fall, the Le Moyne Athletic Department partnered with Maureen's Hope and its sponsored 'Beads of Courage - Carry A Bead' program where beads are worn, collected and given to children who are battling a serious illness along with a hand-written note of inspiration to provide comfort and support to the patients and their families.

This bead, I carry everywhere.

On my spontaneous "I-don't-know-but-gotta-go" kind of drives; my treks through the woods; my desk next to my coffee mug at work; my night stand next to my bed when I travel; my outdoor runs; Sunday morning church; and so much more.

This bead, is a source of strength, hope, comfort, connectedness, motivation and courage.

This bead, is a reminder that my toughest day could be someone else's easiest.

This bead, is a reminder that there is someone out there not yet healthy enough to do some of the very things I take for granted in doing.

This bead, is a reminder that there are battles being fought by those around me every single day - in varying degrees - those of which I might not know anything about.

This bead, is a reminder to say a prayer every night for a miracle to be performed.

And this bead, is a reminder that there is an identical bead out there that brought comfort to a child's hand, a smile to a child's face, love to a child's heart and courage to a child's will - a child who is far stronger than I.

Today, remember that you have the ability to be someone's inspiration, someone's hero, someone's shoulder and someone's strength. We do not need to travel the world and do unheard-of remarkable things to touch someone's life. All we need to do is reach out.

Call someone on the phone or check in with them to see how they are doing. Give someone a smile, a hug, a fist-bump; a piece of your time. Send someone an unexpected note. Tell someone you love them. Surprise someone - make their day. Say a prayer for someone's health, their healing or protection.

You see, inspiration, love and courage are often most powerful when they are in their simplest form...

like a green spotted bead on my car key's keychain, traveling with me wherever I go.

For more information about the Carry A Bead program: http://www.maureenshope.org/carry-a-bead-program/