Author: Be the Cause

the seed, that became the walk for hope modesto, was planted inside of me on september 22, 2007.  on this day I experienced my first walk for hope.  from the time i picked up the flyer at a coffee shop, and stepped foot onto the path at the park, my view of the world changed.  there are good, amazing people in the world, doing good and amazing things.  i feel blessed to be apart of it.  i can still feel the LOVE that goes into putting something like that together.

i believe it was almost two years later that i first contacted be the cause about me organizing a walk in modesto. i listened to a song that said humans only experience two emotions, LOVE and fear, and that all other emotions stem directly or indirectly from either one.  those are exactly the two emotions that i kept experiencing from the minute i first inquired about me organizing a walk.  LOVE because i wanted others to experience the walk for hope. fear because i was not someone who does something like organize a walk.

may 22, 2010, the date is set, there’s no turning back now.  before the date was set i would have thoughts about just not doing the walk.  there was a feeling that would always over power those thoughts, and that feeling is the feeling i felt on september 22, 2007.  all the LOVE that is the walk for hope, can not be ignored.

the day arrives and a beautiful day it is. waking before the sun is a wonderful thing.  the first walk for hope in modesto was becoming a reality.  the sun is rising as all the volunteers gather.  the set up begins, the air is cold and crisp.  we post the hand-made quotes along the walk route, stopping to set up the activity stations, starting to feel the warmth of the sun.

the walkers start to arrive, we form a circle, and introduce ourselves. at that moment i let go, i let go of organizing the walk, for the walk is happening.  the walk has a different effect, meaning, or experience for everyone depending on what’s going on in each of our lives, indivividually and collectively.  i LOVE everything about the walk for hope.

as the walk ends, the tear down begins. from beginning to end is a gift for me, but it’s only the beginning.  the first walk for hope.  what a feeling.

i want to say thank you to everyone who was involved, for without you there would be no walk for hope.  I am truly and forever greateful.

MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY!

— Niccol Wiley