The Victory Lap

Luminaria bags honoring those who have lost their battle with cancer at the 2013 Miss-Lou Relay for Life.

Squish.

Their feet sank deep in the brown Mississippi River mud as they walked side by side. Copious amounts of rain had fallen earlier in the day, leaving the riverside park’s grass a muddy mess.

But they were out there. And they weren’t complaining.  My guess is that they were all just glad to be on this side of the grass.

They were cancer survivors. And this was the Miss-Lou American Cancer Society Relay for Life’s Survivor Lap.

“I’ve been cancer free for three years,” the nice lady with blonde hair and black glasses said as we walked together. Her eyes watered as she waved at the cheering crowd.

Another man quietly gripped his wife’s hand. They had been on their journey together. They had gone through worse in their marriage. Now, they were enjoying better.

“There was no cancer in my family. Lucky me. But I’m here to tell about it,” another lady said.

There were dozens of stories like these. Stories of fear overcome by hope.  Stories of survival.

It was their moment. A moment earned the hard way — after surgeries, treatments, fear and now, well, now victory. A victory lap for holding the beast at bay.

We turned the final corner and a the sun broke through the dark, gray clouds. The bluffs of Natchez were illuminated with a warm light. And a sunbeam fell on the cancer survivors as they completed their journey. It seemed to be an appropriate metaphor for the moment.

In one lap they had gone from being survivors to being thrivers. Victory was theirs.