Pocketbook Change

Most of you that read my blogs already know that in September, I will be taking part in a 50 mile (20, 20, & 10 for 3 days) Challenge Walk for MS (Multiple Sclerosis). The 3 day, 50 mile walk is taking place in Door County Wisconsin and I will be flying from Jacksonville to Milwaukee to be there. I think I will get to see Lake Michigan, too!

We're talking about a gal that has never even been on an airplane but once in her entire life! I am diligently working towards the challenge and saving my money as well, since all participants are responsible for their own registration fee, hotel, and flights.

My goal is to raise at least $1500.00 for MS and with the economy the way it is, THAT has been a huge challenge as well. Most of you have already donated and for that I am truly thankful.

If you have not yet had the chance to make your donation, please donate online at http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/carla.pryor.

Did you know that if everyone reading this blog, donated just $5 to Multiple Sclerosis, my fund raising goal would be met?

We could all probably find at least $5 worth of change in the bottom of our purses or floorboard of the car! Take a look around and donate whatever change you find! Thank you for any amount you can give.

No Rollover Minutes

Most all of you know I was a banker for many, many years. With that said, I can tell you for sure that what I'm about to use as an analogy will only happen in your dreams. The money part, that is.

OK. Let's imagine that there is a bank that credits your account every single morning with $86,400 no matter what. If anything remains in the account at the end of each day, it is deleted and not carried over to the next day. Each morning you would begin with another $86,400. What would you do? Draw every single cent out, every single day!

Sort of like the bank account with all the money, every morning we are credited with 86,400 seconds called TIME. Every night, whatever TIME we have failed to invest to good purpose is written off and lost forever. It doesn't carry over a remaining balance and it doesn't allow any overdrafts.

Each day, we have a new account holding 86,400 seconds of TIME and each night the amount remaining is burned. The loss is ours. There's no going back and there is no borrowing from tomorrow. We can only live in the present on today's deposits. The clock is running. We need to invest each and every second to a purpose.

The Challenge Walk for Multiple Sclerosis has become both a challenge and a purpose for me. As a participant in the 50 mile walk, I have been training as much as possible in order to be ready for the journey. I am totally motivated and want to make a difference in the lives of those touched by MS.

This walk is a huge challenge to me for several reasons. I am the oldest walker on our team and not exactly the athletic type. Although my health is good, I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis 3 years ago. I am on a monthly medication to increase my bone density, although my bones are weak and more susceptible to breaks. None of these things matter at all because this has become my purpose and I am doing it!

I began my training for this walk challenge by walking 1 mile a day and quickly progressing to 2 miles a day. I was suffering with normal muscle aches but an excruciating pain in my shins put a sudden stop to my walking routine. Shin splints are quite painful and I had no choice but to give my leg muscles a rest in order to heal. Before I begin walking again, there are steps that I will have to take to prevent this from happening again. But I will not stop because this is my purpose.

People with MS don't have that option. They may not even be able to walk around the house, let alone for miles on end. The symptoms of MS are different, and devastating, for everyone. The only certainty is that it will affect another person every hour of every day. The hope for a cure rests with continued research.

So use your 86,400 seconds for a purpose. Please pledge me online at http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/carla.pryor. You may donate as little as $1 or as much as you want. Make your 86,400 seconds count. Do it on purpose.

We Have The Power To Make A Difference

I believe we have to find our purpose in life and we have to do whatever it takes to fulfill it. I also believe in the human spirit and I am amazed at how strong and capable we are when we are confronted with challenges and opportunities.

When we conquer what has been deemed unattainable, it makes the journey all the more exciting. The obstacles that we face are meant to strengthen us, not to defeat us.

When we experience hard times we sometimes forget to appreciate what we have. No matter what challenges we endure, we have to remember what we are made of and the power we have to make a difference.

So when Luke called last night and told me he knew something I should do, I immediately told him I would, even before he told me what it was. We're good like that.

So here it is folks.

Every once in a while, a challenge calls us and we simply must answer. I've accepted the challenge and will be taking part in a three day, 50 mile walk that will make a difference in the lives of those who live with multiple sclerosis (MS). I will be joining others from Myspace on a journey toward a single destination in "Challenge Walk MS", this September 2009.

Did you know that someone is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) every single hour of every single day? This disease affects people in very different ways, from loss of balance to impaired vision to paralysis. It is a chronic, disabling disease of the central nervous system and the hope for a cure rests with continued research.

My friend KTPP (Kim The Psycho Princess), here on Myspace has MS. She is walking in this 50 mile challenge. If SHE can do it . . . I can do it.

Please help me make a difference in the lives of those touched by this challenging disease by contributing to the 2009 Challenge Walk MS.

My goal is to raise at least $1500.00 and recruit 2 others to join in the walk. Would you meet me in Milwaukee?

Visit http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Challenge/WIGChallengeWalkEvents?px=5972987&pg=personal&fr_id=10820 to donate online.

MS stops people from moving. I will be walking to make sure it doesn't.

Thank you for making a difference.

Carla