Monday, November 21, 2011

[half] Marathon Monday

I run in memory of my grandmother, Virginia Haines Coleman.

Little Christine with grandparents Virginia & Ivan Haines
Soon, I will be running the Livestrong Half Marathon in Austin, TX. As I train, I will be raising money for Livestrong, an organization founded by cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, with a mission to improve the lives of those affected by cancer. Each week, I will share why this cause is so important to me.


I will bring the people I write about on this journey to motivate me - to push myself further than I think I can go. When I get tired, I will think of them and remember their influence on my life, their strength and the cause I am running for.

My grandmother passed away of ovarian cancer when I was 12, the same year the Lance Armstrong Foundation was established. Although I was young, my childhood memories are filled with her. We played a lot of Uno and watched just as much Lawrence Welk (which was far more interesting to me than other favorite, Murder She Wrote).

As you might be able to tell, there were also lots of flowers. Flowers on the 'davenport,' flowers on the walls, flowers on the muumuus, flowers on the shirts under the muumuus and flowers on the dishware.

She always had the same collection of mints and gum that I still come across every once in a while. Let me tell you, the connection between smell and memory is no joke. Not too long ago, I opened a pack of Wrigley's spearmint gum and it was like she jumped right out saying, "here I am, right here with you." I hope I am not the only one this happens to.

The picture to the left is probably the most frequently occurring scene for the two of us. Ever since I was a baby, she would rock me to sleep in a recliner. As I got older and bigger, she didn't give up. My grandmother would wrestle me into her lap and rock away as if I was still tiny. At one point, I remember being largely uncomfortable with limbs flopped over both sides of the chair, but complying anyway because it seemed she felt this was her grandmotherly duty. Who knows, maybe one day I will do the same.


Above all, I remember that she was patient with me, attentive to whatever I wanted to do or show or tell. She let me be exactly who I was and encouraged me to be... me. I think that's what grandparents are for.

Learn more about Livestrong and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Support my journey by contributing on my fundraising page.






3 comments:

  1. Very thoughtful and articulate post, Christine. Very moving as well. Your grandmother was one amazing lady! And she was very lucky to have a granddaughter who still remembers her in such fond memories!

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  2. Christine, this is amazing! My grandmother died of ovarian cancer when I was 15. The second picture of your grandmother reminds me very much of mine. The flowered wallpaper in the kitchen. The muumuu. The big glasses and short hair. Thank you for sharing. Best of luck with the Marathon.

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  3. Thanks for the lovely comments Raeeq & Brooke. She was definitely a special lady!

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