I
first heard about Shear Hope from my friend Sarah
who is a previous Hope Giver. I met her only once before her head shaving event.
Afterward, I thought “Wow, I could never do that.” As time passed I
began to think.
I thought of the toll cancer can take on someone’s
life; not just them but their family and friends too. I thought of the people
I knew who had been touched by cancer. I thought of photos of my mom at age 11
with a shaved head from having a brain tumor. I began to count: 1, 2, 3 …
and the counting continued. As I counted family, friends, and co-workers, the
number continued to rise to 10. Then a few more names and faces came to my mind.
I realized that all of us probably know at least one person touched by cancer.
And I began to think some more.
I thought of all the images around us which
portray beauty. Since I am a teacher , I thought of my high school students. I
thought of the pressures from movies, T.V., magazines and especially peers. I
want my students to know that they are beautiful for who they are inside.
“I
praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have
done is wonderful. I know this very well.” Psalms 139:14.
I did not
feel this way when I was in school, and I know times have not changed. I thought
what better way than to set an example by my actions and not mere words. My hope
is to let others know they are beautiful, regardless of their situation.
Though
we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we
find it not. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Demona's
Shear Hope event was held in Flower Mound on September 24th, 2010.
