NEWS

It never ceases to amaze me when things pop up in our lives that we can use for inspiration or motivation for whatever it is we want to do, whether it is writing or anything else.

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Canada Army 5K Run. It was a first for me and something I’ll never forget. There were runners of all ages, shapes and sizes and in all kinds of physical condition. Some pushed strollers, others were in wheelchairs or walked with canes. The disabled group went out ahead of the section I was in so I didn’t get a chance to see them, but I can just imagine the challenges some of them face and they still took on the run. In total, close to 20,000 people participated. It’s impossible not to be inspired by it all.

When we sagged a little during the run, bands and cheering sections high-fived us or rang cowbells or waved banners and signs spurring us on. My favorite sign was one that read, “When you sweat, you look hot!” I was certainly sweating, so…

I entered for personal reasons. I wanted to challenge myself, of course, but I also wanted to raise money for “Support Our Troops.” The money raised provides the Canadian Forces members and their families with a variety of opportunities that may not be possible otherwise. Their programs range from children’s camps, to vacations to scholarship opportunities.

Organizations like “Support Our Troops” focus on gaps left by governments everywhere that seem to have let the troops down. Our veterans don’t get the recognition they deserve and especially if they have been wounded while on duty.

I set my fundraising goal low and didn’t really make that much of an effort to raise money, but because we have some wonderful supporters, my wife and I received an invitation to a “Top 50 fundraisers” reception Saturday night at the War Museum in our home town and the nation’s capital of Ottawa. We heard from and met some of the beneficiaries of the program and again, their stories were truly awe-inspiring.

One told us he had severe PTSD and lost everything as a result. He was homeless for a while and drank a quarter of a bottle of rum every day. He eventually got the help he needed and, while he still has a long way to come back, he will now participate in the Invictus games. There were many other similar inspirational stories.

It was a tremendously heart-warming weekend and one that I’ll draw inspiration from for a long time. Watching people run who are far less physically capable was amazing to see. Hearing the stories of people who have been to the end of their rope and fought their way back makes some of the challenges faced by most people minuscule by comparison.

I not only gained valuable motivation and inspiration, but I’m applying this to my new book by giving one of the characters PTSD. I’m about 30,000 words into the story, and I hope, in some small way, to raise awareness of the severity of mental illness and ways to overcome it. It will be woven into a work of fiction, but I hope that it may also be educational.

When faced with a challenge, we always need to think about what others are going through. With a little thought, we can always think of someone who has it worse. Not that someone else’s misery should make us feel better, but maybe it can be a reminder that if others can get through their challenges, so can we.