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Frankly, I think some people probably believe Becca Bigsby is a little nuts.
She's the young woman featured in today's story. She's committed to running 5 marathons in 5 months. All to raise a bunch of money for 5-year-old Maddy Ringenberg. If all goes well, she will raise $131,000--a thousand bucks for each mile.
Maddy was born with DeGeorges Syndrome. Her mom, Lisa, explains that's a chromosomal defect that affects just about everything in Maddy's body. Doctors didn't expect her to live past her first birthday. Yet, here she is, just turned 5 last week!
That didn't happen by itself. Maddy has an incredibly dedicated family who puts everything into her medical treatment and getting her what she needs to survive including monitoring a feeding tube that must be attached to Maddy for most hours of the day.
Here's the thing, along the way of this often medical nightmare, Maddy's parents discovered their little girl was meant to more than just survive. She was here to thrive! Spend some time with Maddy, as I was lucky enough to on Saturday, and you quickly see there is a special spirit inside that body that came out differently than most of ours.
Maddy's family has encouraged and nourished that spirit by getting her the specialized therapies that she needs. Physical, speech, dance. You name it, it has let Maddy blossom. The problem is most of it is not covered by insurance. You can imagine how fast those bills pile up.
Along comes Becca Bigsby. Not family. Just a family friend. She decided she wanted to do something to help this one special girl. She saw the magic in Maddy. Becca's own sisters questioned her. "Why are you raising money for someone who is most likely going to pass away in the near future? You could raise money for a cause, where there's a cure, because there is no cure for what she has."
Becca actually appreciated the challenge. It made her get clear on why she was putting her body through this grueling process. "Because every moment she's alive, she brings happiness to everybody," she replied.
And then Becca became even clearer. "I can't NOT do it," she decided.
"She's here now. She's happy and she brings happiness to everyone in her world."
Well said, Becca. Imagine if there were more Beccas in this world? More people who didn't buy into what the critics say. More people who decide the world's problems wouldn't be so overwhelming if we all just picked one small cause and started somewhere. Imagine all the crazy good that could come out of that.
So, as you emerge from your holiday hangover, and start thinking about what you will do with your 2008, I just ask you tuck a little of Becca's craziness in the back of your mind or inside your heart, wherever it feels best. Think about the one crazy thing you could do this year to touch just one person's life. The possibility just might make you feel crazy good.
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