Day 34: "I don't really have much of a choice, now, do I?"

February 12th: One day left!!

So I had a dream last night. It could have been a nightmare, but I'd call it a dream. Stick with me after the initial sentence...

I was hit by a car. So how's that not a nightmare?!

Well, I told the doctors that I still wanted to "run" the marathon. They told me I could do it in a wheelchair, but my arms were pretty messed up in the accident so I couldn't do it by myself.

I had 26 different friends from different parts of my life each push me one mile. Then for the last 0.2 miles I somehow scooted myself along in the wheelchair. Personally, I don't really believe in pure miracles, but in a dream I'll certainly welcome them for symbolism's sake. :-)

Back in real life -- I was talking to my Grandma Ruth today. She asked, how I was feeling and I told her my right ankle was giving me some trouble. She responded with her typical response, "Well, you've done an incredible thing already and, now, whatever will be...will be."

I've understand that response, but personally, I've never liked it. My philosophy is that I have a lot more control over my life than that. Tomorrow is a particularly clear example.

I responded, "I'm going to finish the run, Grandma. I don't really have much of a choice, now do I?"

Just as it allowed me to operate my wheelchair in the dream, I will choose to finish tomorrow because I am running for my belief in the dreams of the students at Akili Academy; because I am running for the 127 people who believed in this project enough to add their very, very meaningful contribution to it; and because I am running for my hero, my Dad.

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Thanks to the following individuals and couples who helped turn this little act of kindness into something very special for, both, me and the children it will assist in the daunting and exciting task of reaching one's full potential:

Kelly Stillufsen, Molly Ruben-Long, Pamela Cox, Anna Kwawer, Mary Gardner, Lindsay Dunaj, Tom and Michelle Fernandez, Laura Prigoff, Jill Sluder, Nora Hume, Tommy Serio, Dave Emond, Denise and Tom Serio, Danny Serio, Huy Tu, Ben Dransfield, Drea Groner, Wayne Everbeck, Joey Adams, Brian Forte, Chris Wooster, Sandy Sanchez, Emily Lancaster, Andy Toth, Adam Hickey, Stephen Curtis, Tammy Wright, Ariana Bernstein, Christina Cipriano, Annmarie Vilkins, Marisa Pizza, Ashley Goldsmith, Meka Buchman, Ashley Gordon, Catherine Lyons, Gretchen Wieland, Kevin Pflug, Colleen Corcoran, Liz Sluder, Tracy Shandor, Lauren Neupert, Maria Grupinski, Holly Mandell, Mark Metrinko, Kathleen Warner, Kevin Albrecht, Ian M. Hartshorn, Jeff and Amy Price, Sarah Baldwin, Nina and Steve Coniker, Jennifer Coleman, Jenna Haines, Audrey Haines, Debbie and Sandy Steiger, Rachele Armstrong, Ali Quirk, Robert Stefani, Timothy Bryant, Mariposa Stormer, Nora Gerstein, Chrissy Kiernan, Karen Hart, Jerry and Lilbby Haines, Lori and Chris Haskell, Jean Haines Homan, David Brown, Kathy and Billy Nazzaro, Amanda Kizer, Benny Canda, Amanda Catalani, Kate Schuman, Bridget Hatfield, Tyler Ogilvie, Phil McKenna, Esther Sackett, Chris Taborsky, Kristin Insalaco, Valerie Raedy, Jill Piccione, Rosalie Cohn, Crystal Wagner, Sara Barasch, Taryn Lott, Emma Herr, Jesse Cottrell, Sarah Diringer, Janet Beck-Robinson, Jennifer Sluder, Heidi Bellinger, Phil Nicosia, Lisa Martin, Heidi Miles, Ariana Alonso, Georgine Althouse, Sarah Paradis, Deborah Large, Shalli Thomson, Phoenix Devos, Jessica Reynolds, Grandma Ruth, Theresa Bentivegna, Tania Torres, Ben Donahue, Grandma Phyllis, Casey and Nick D’Alfonso, Mary and Joe Price, Barbara and Ralph Russo, Aunt Elisabet Haines, Aunt Sue and Uncle Rich Cole, Carlie Kilgore and Matt Story, Amanda Borenstein, Adam Gold, Ben Marino, Dominic Fossile, Aunt Wendy Haskell, Diana Leonardo, John Hummel, Kevin Coniker, Brenna Gillette, Barbara Wind, Larissa Benedek, Kathy Brandler, Rachele Armstrong, Debbie and Sandy Steiger and Dylan Schlotterbeck, Mandana Namdar and Jami Haines.