SMILES ARE FREE

The Friends of the Bald Woman calendar project is coming to a close soon and I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to connect with these 11 other ladies. I go to these shoots week after week and every time am humbled and in awe of the spirit that surrounds these women. They are our moms, daughters, wives, and friends. I have seen strength and hope in these women that is unmatched in every day life. I don't think anyone plans to be strong but when in the situation that calls for it you have two choices....do it, or don't. these ladies did it for sure. They are funny, they are kind, and they are thankful for what they have. I am so pleased that the support for our calendar has grown. This whole project started with a Bald Lady photo shoot with my favorite photographer friend. She produced the most true pictures of myself that I have seen to this day and I wanted everyone in that situation to have the opportunity to feel their inner beauty too.
Many people ask me why I do this (Friends of the Bald Woman). There is no pay, countless hours of planning, few thanks, and constantly feeling at the mercy of other people's pocket books. It is hard, it is time consuming, it brings sleepless nights and tears, and yet...this is the most rewarding thing I have ever done! I can sum up why I do what I do into one reason....I do this because it brings a smile! That may appear simple to those reading, and guess what it is. I just simply want people to smile more. It may be from receiving one of our support services. It may be from one of my OH SO FUNNY blog posts. It may be giving people a way to give a bit of themselves to others. It may come in many different ways but the bottom line for me is that smiles are contagious. They are infections and it is one thing we don't do enough of. Not to say you can't take anything seriously, but really we are here for an unknown time and so is everyone else here...Why waste our time here being full of all the negative stuff?? I think it is time for one of my famous lists.....

What Cancer took from me
1. My chances of becoming a Playboy model (oh wait, my kids did that!)

2. My hair (that I really didn't like that much to begin with)

3. My fame and fortune (wait, again no fortune to take and I have more fame post- cancer than any high school soccer game ever gave me)

4. My time (always want more and less, always want it to hurry up and slow down)

5. My brain (well at least the ability to remember anything...including anything else that it took from me!!)

What I took from Cancer:
1. FREE meals, house cleaning, wigs, and weekly massages

2. Great stories that go with each scar on my body

3. Better Perspective on life

4. FAME (Newspapers, TV spots, name on a famous car, wow! still waiting on the fortune part!!!)

5. The ability to get out of basically anything with my "cancer card" for the rest of my life. (I would never do that though....or would I????)

6. MY LIFE! (I never let this evil beast take my life or my spirit and for that I am the most grateful!!)

Well that is all she wrote for today ladies and gents! Today's challenge is to make ONE person truly smile today! That is it only ONE! Tell them to pass it on though and we will see how long we can keep the smile going! Smiles are free and can make the day of someone so change the world today folks!! Make your day a great one!