Happy Thanksgiving
 About four miles into my long run this weekend, I looked up in a
tree and saw a large young American bald eagle surveying the lake I like to run
around. To those of you who
run in Alaska or the Northwest, this is probably not something for which you
would slow down or contemplate.
For a guy in southeastern Pennsylvania, this is an event of epic, if not
spiritual, proportions. It's
definitely not something you see every day, or every year, for that matter.
Those of you who know me would probably say that I'm not an
overly spiritual person. There are
times, like this morning on that run, however, when it's hard for me not to
acknowledge that someone, or something is up there offering up an opportunity,
if not an obvious clear and blatant reminder, for me to be still for a minute
or two to contemplate and be grateful for just how wonderful and interesting
the world can be, and how fortunate I am to be able witness such beauty and
grace on a regular basis. This
young eagle sighting gave me that needed opportunity to think about some of the
things for which I'm most grateful this Thanksgiving:
Obviously I'm most grateful for my happy, healthy and loving
family. I'm grateful for the wood
I have stacked in my shed and the hay in the barn. And certainly, I'm thankful that somehow I've gotten the
privilege and honor of being associated with this miraculous endeavor we call
NF Endurance. As we close in
on six million dollars raised in the past five years, it's hard not to get just
a little emotional about the difference we're making for those two million
people out there suffering with NF.
It's so much more than the world class and successful research we have funded too -
it's the camaraderie and sense of belonging from the thousands of people who
have joined us in this quest to enable treatments and someday a cure. There are just so many people willing
to go to such lengths to help those in need. It's truly humbling and reassuring. And, it's the heartwarming family-like support this team
brings for those really struggling with this disorder- people like Pete,
Candice, Rebecca, Kylie, Meadow, Drew, or the hundreds of others we have gotten
to know around the country. It's
amazing really; truly, NF Endurance is a living and breathing example of the
power of hope.
I'm also very thankful and grateful that almost every
weekend my job is that I get to meet and be with such heroes as those of you on
this team.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Remember to keep an eye out for those moments in your life not so much
when you breathe, but when that breath is taken away.
Create a wonderful day.
I'll see you on the course!
Steve Kendra
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