Dedication

A lot of people have asked why I'm doing this. El Camino is something I've known about for years, but never really had the opportunity or enough desire to do, for lack of a better term. I have a lot of personal reasons for doing it.

The last couple of years have been interesting for me. Between a divorce, working entirely too much in 2007, and just being in a general "funk," I needed to do something to shake things up. It will be good to spend this time with myself, prioritizing my life, exploring my thoughts and feelings, and, most importantly, seeking a closer relationship with God. In regards to these goals, I have no expectations, but only hope, prayer, and an open mind and open heart.

I'm dedicating my journey to those who have lost their battles with depression and to finding better detection of and treatments for the disease. About three years ago, I lost one of my best friends, one of my beloved "Godsisters", to the disease. Also in that time frame, a couple of my highschool classmates also took their own lives. With a small, closely-knit graduating class of 99 people, that seems to be statistically entirely too high. But maybe it's all just a sign to show us the impact that depression can have on all of our lives and how very real a disease it is. So it's to them (Carri, Jason, and Meiling), that I dedicate my journey and will remember fondly each day.

What's the practical implication of that dedication? I'm hoping to find a not-for-profit organization that researches, treats, or in some other impactful way deals with depression. I'm hoping to setup an online means of taking donations for the organization. So if anyone has any ideas on these fronts, please let me know.