November isn’t my favourite month. But you all know that. September is back to school. October is all bright autumn colours and long sunny hikes and bike rides. December is the holidays. And then there’s bright snow and longer days starting in January. But November? Dark, rainy, gloomy, with none of winter’s redeeming features. I am always looking for ways to improve November. I’ll get my anti SAD lamps out. I’ll wear bright colours. I’ll cook fun food. I’ll look for good books.
This year it seems I’ll also take on a cycling charity challenge, aiming to ride 150 in November for the Canadian Cancer Society. Here’s hoping it improves my mood. And if it doesn’t? Fine, I’ll have raised some money for a good cause. It’s also a cause that’s close to home. My father died of cancer in 2015. I had thyroid cancer some years ago. My mother had cancer in her younger years.
But as Bonnie Raitt said at the end of her concert Thursday night, 1 in 2 Canadians will have their life affected by cancer. It’s close to all of our homes. When she said that, I was shocked. I’m shocked each time I hear it. I even Googled it, and the Canadian Cancer Society tells me, “Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada. Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime and about 1 in 4 will die from cancer.”
So I’m riding my bike, sending some money their way, and hoping you do too.
Here’s the link to support my challenge. It only works for Canadians, sorry!
November may have even less to recommend it than February. But Bonnie Raitt! That makes October worthwhile.