I Won!

I haven't won anything since I won the "Read Around the World" contest at Adamsville School in third grade. I was a quiet, shy child, and I was so excited that I could compete in something I actually was actually good at--unlike so many of my traumatic experiences with gym class dodgeball. I spent all of my free time with my nose in a book during that contest. Yet I was still so surprised when my name was announced over the loudspeaker. Me, a winner?

I guess I still have that attitude, because I was completely stunned when I saw my name on Laurie (trumom on ravelry)'s winners post. Laurie is walking in the San Francisco Bay Area Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, and she had a raffle to encourage ravelers to donate for this great cause. I hesitated to donate not because I doubted the worthiness of the cause but because I didn't think my donation was enough. The 3-Day walk is a big deal, and walkers are required to raise a lot of money to participate. My $10, all I could afford to give, was really just a drop in the bucket, no? Does $10 really make a difference? Furthermore, would I even have a chance of winning a raffle prize when other donating ravelers surely could afford to give more than I did? Then I stopped all those negative thoughts and reminded myself that (1) It's not about the prizes, and (2) Every little bit really does count. So I made my donation and moved on. Now, thanks to that small bit of generosity on my part, and a huge bit of generosity on Laurie's part, I am the proud winner of a skein of alpaca yarn from K2Tog, Laurie's LYS in San Francisco.

The raffle is over, but you can still donate to Laurie, Michelle, or Deena, other members of Team BFF (Breast Friends Forever). Even though neither my family nor I have been affected by breast cancer, it's a cause I feel passionate about. Just think of everyone in your life who loves or appreciates your boobs. Maybe it's your significant other or a child you nursed, or maybe you just think you look dead sexy in a turtleneck sweater. That's reason enough for me!