About Me

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About:

It took awhile for me to figure out how I wanted to live my life, because I was so shy I was afraid to find out, but over the years I’ve gained a measure of courage that enables me to do things that I would never have done before. I’ve discovered that I love travelling, learning about new places and the people that live there; some of my best memories from travelling have to do with the incredible people who found talking to me worth their while, and I always come back from these trips with a better understanding of who I am and what my goals are. I love reading as well, perhaps because, like travelling, it allows me to discover new places and people. I grew up in Houston, but thanks to my parents I’ve developed an intense passion for nature, for any kind of outdoors. Something about riding my bike on the bayou near my house just acts as a balm for my soul, giving otherwise turbulent days some peace and perspective. Trying new things, though, is what adds spice to my life, and lately I’ve discovered an escape from all of my schoolwork in dancing–I love to dance salsa and swing, and hope to learn some country dancing while I am in Austin.

It’s this kind of passion that I have for life that makes me so sad when other people don’t have the control to live their lives the way they want to. I couldn’t imagine having my own life cut short, or reduced so drastically in quality. I’ve seen members of my family fight cancer, and I can’t imagine the bravery that it takes for them to respond calmly to something that threatens their lives every day. It seems so unbelievably strong. I respect these people so much and I think that anything I can do to help support them, to make their burden a little less heavy, is time and energy well spent.

Why I Ride

I ride for my Grandma. There’s a picture of her in my house, taken before she got ovarian cancer. She’s smiling so contently, leaning towards my Grandpa, at peace with the world. Every time I see this picture I think that she should have been able to live peacefully till the end, enjoying her many children and grandchildren, instead of being forced to wage this excruciating battle for the rest of her life, fighting to live a less rewarding life. It just breaks my heart every time.

And I ride for my cousin Charlie. He’s ten years old now, and just celebrated being cancer free for five years! It seems like once cancer enters a family, though, it never really leaves. I know his family is still dealing with his cancer even five years afterwards, and it breaks my heart thinking of what they’ve been through. Quite the opposite of your average family experience, theirs was clouded with fear and sadness, and my memories from that period recall the perpetual heaviness that had come over my normally lighthearted cousin and his family. But I also clearly remember their strength throughout it all. I ride for all of them, because years afterwards they are all still extremely active in the cancer community, raising awareness and money in order to eliminate something that they and I believe nobody should ever have to deal with. I admire their strength and their grace so much, and can only hope to emulate their impact on their community.