Yes, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Yes, we have a lot of pink gear in this house. Obviously.

BUT! As my friend, Shonda, so eloquently pointed out to me last week: there are other colors, and other ribbons.

Take orange, for instance.

Shonda’s daughter, Dani, has Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Her ribbon is orange.

My friend, Andi, who lost her battle with colon cancer just after I had finished chemotherapy was in the dark blue ribbon.

A random guy I met when my friend went on a date with him (was his name Ryan? not sure, chemo fog was in full swing at the time) said that his ribbon was lavender. I had to ask what that signified, and he told me he was a testicular cancer survivor.

No matter what color the ribbon, or whether it is worn in support of others, we all have one thing in common: we are all survivors. We are all overcomers.

When Frost wrote that the thing he had learned about life was that “it goes on,” this can be seen as a triumph. No matter what we face, or how hard the battle, we go on: stronger, more fearless than before.

So, for sweet 17 year old Dani, who wonders why this has happened to her – you are a warrior, and we will all be warriors together. For you, Dani, for every child, man, or woman who stares into the darkness that is cancer, and smiles anyway.

Love and blessings…