I have gifted numerous keys to friends and family. I love the mission of The Giving Keys and cannot stop buying them for the women in my life that I love, who need a little extra encouragement. Faith, Believe, Brave, Strength, Hope, and Joy, the one I had specially made, are all key words given from me to friends and family. These people are women who I thought could benefit from wearing a word picked out for her and, hopefully, inspired by it so much she'd pass it on to another person.
I bought "Courage" for myself. Why not? I was deciding whether to/not to go back to college after 25 years and was pretty scared. I needed to live Courage, receive it, believe it, and be inspired by it. In May, I found out a co-worker, Erika, was going through a divorce. I did not know the details, but knew enough that it was a difficult time. I felt lead to give her my Giving Key. As I put it around her head and Courage dangled from her neck, I said, "I think you need this more than me right now." Then, I encouraged her to pass it on when she felt like she was ready to do so.
Months pass. I get diagnosed with Lymphoma two weeks ago. A week ago, a friend, Jen, from San Francisco comes to visit. Two years ago I was with her when she found out she had Leukemia. It's been a journey for her and she knows I am starting one too. When she came in my house she had a Giving Key on her neck. She took it off and gave it to me. She said she was given it when she was first diagnosed with Cancer. She said it was time for her to pass it on to me, someone who needed the word now. I was so excited, then I looked down at the word and was in shock. It was "Courage". My word. I can't tell you how happy that made me.
I wore it last week for a PET Scan. I wore it today for a bone marrow biopsy. I will wear it next week when I find out the scope of the disease and the treatment plan. Then, it will be time to pass it on to another woman needing "courage" and I'll be ready.
-Stacy
