This is way out in right field compared to what I typically post. If you saw a topic started by me and were looking for something obnoxious or a good laugh, you are in the wrong place.

A few weeks ago, I got caught up watching a movie that I would typically never watch on HBO, called "My Sisters Keeper" about a young girl dying of cancer. It was extremely sad, so much so that I have since signed up with the Volunteers of America in hopes to work with children or seniors who are far less fortunate then I am. Most days I throw on a tie, get in my luxury car, drive to my air conditioned office, collect a paycheck, and party on the weekends, with little regard for anyone else.

My Grandfather died of cancer at 35 and my Grandmother at 52. I remember a few years ago the girl I was dating was a radiation thearapist and had to drag me to an event for cancer kicking and screaming. the one where you walk all night. Looking back I am ashamed of my selfishness, and have developed a new perspective on life over the past year. (this specific event was four years ago)

Anyway, is what I am getting at... I have an article I wanted to share that I thought was nice. In a world of religious extremism, tired political antics, lindsay lohans, jersey shores, and paris hiltons, and recessions, and unemployment, and racism, it is nice to see a good article in the news once in a while. Read the short article if you would like, or dont, but I wanted to share a feel-good story heading into the weekend that will hopefully make you think about the positive things in life and take a moment to think of the people like the man in this article who are sitting at home, dying, knowing they only have a few weeks to live. Life is short, and it sure as hell isn't fair, but we should be making the most out of it while we are here and healthy. Take note of the last quote in the article keeping in mind he is very close to the end of his life at an early age.

I hope you all have an awesome friday! If you have a mother or father or sibling you haven't spoken to in a while, call them this weekend. Article Follows.




Special lacrosse game grants a Florida Dad his dying wish
By Cameron Smith


It's not lacrosse season, but last week Winter Springs (Fla.) High School played one of the most significant girls lacrosse games in memory. The score didn't matter in the least. The significance came from the game's sheer existence.

As reported by sports columnist George Diaz at OrlandoSentinel.com, the Winter Springs girls lacrosse team played a special scrimmage at halftime of the Winter Springs junior varsity football game on Wednesday night. The Bears varsity squad squared up against their JV counterparts, the only way the school could logistically hold a scrimmage months out of season on short notice. And the most important spectator at the game was Carl Defoe, a middle-aged man devoid of body hair after five rounds of chemotherapy, cheering on his daughter for the first -- and in all likelihood, the last -- time in his life.

Defoe is dying of lung cancer, and he knows that he doesn't have much time left -- six weeks, eight weeks, maybe more. The cancer has spread from his one remaining lung to his brain stem and spinal cord. While Defoe insists that he isn't done fighting the disease yet, the one thing that left him most anguished was knowing he'd never get to see his daughter, Heather, play in a high school lacrosse game.

Somehow the Winter Springs High School administration heard about Defoe's last wish. The school quickly sprung into action, contacting the notoriously rigid Florida High School Activities Association to ask for special approval to hold a one-time, out-of-season lacrosse scrimmage. Amazingly, the FHSAA approved the request almost instantly, with one condition: They wanted a photo from the game.

So, on Wednesday, at halftime of the Winter Springs junior varsity football game against Oviedo High School, the two girls lacrosse squads faced off in a brisk, seven-minute scrimmage. Heather Defoe played for the varsity squad instead of the junior varsity team she's scheduled to play with this spring ... and she scored three goals.

Then, when it was all over, the two teams gathered around a happy man in a wheelchair, posed for cameras and the whole special event was gone, over as quickly as it had come.

Gone, but not forgotten by anyone there, not least of all Carl himself. If there were ever questions of whether sports can change a person's outlook on life, they should be quieted by what Carl Defoe told Diaz just after the scrimmage wrapped up.

"I feel lucky," Defoe said.




http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/b...hschool-271938

 

Read this article a few days ago. I thought it was a stand-up move for the school administration to allow the game. I also read a similar article a few weeks ago when a dying lady got her wish to meet Dwight Howard in person. He was only supposed to stay for 30mins but wound up spending two hours with her. Hearing about people in these situations certainly puts things in a different perspective.

 

Excellent movie It will bring anyone to tears for that matter.. Nice story Craig, things like this put all the small crap into perspective sometimes and teaches us whats important and whats not.