Fall Colors: Red, Yellow, Orange, Brown, and...Pink?

*DISCLAIMER: This post is slightly more personal than the usual here at Confusing Ideas.*

Well, it's that time again.
The trees are turning lovely shades of orange, yellow, red, and brown and the store shelves are turning pink.
Yup, that's right.
It's BREAST CANCER AWARENESS TIME!!

So...I made it pretty clear in a post last year how I feel about certain aspects of BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH! (I think it helps to say BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH like you're a monster truck rally commentator).

I do have some slightly more intelligent things to say on the matter now that I've aged a bit.
Ok...here's the deal...
For 12 years of my life my mom had cancer on and off. I never really gave a damn during those 12 years (and still don't give a damn) that companies make over their products in pink for a month out of the year. Yes, in the end, I know I can't be too snippy about it because it does raise funds for important organizations. I get that. (But I still say, "Dyson my mom didn't die so you could sell a vacuum.")
I have to say...what made the difference for me for those 12 years were people.
People who cooked dinners for my family during times my mom was really really ill.
People who sent cards.
People who called.
And even though it ain't my thing...people who prayed.
Such people made it easier for me to sleep at night.
I am unable to even fully express how grateful I am to everyone who supported and helped my family.
...and while I appreciate the thought of making the world over in pink and sellin' shit to give portions of the proceeds to cancer organizations...
I could never be a fraction as grateful for that as I am for the people who were there for my mother.
They mean more to me than a pink vacuum cleaner ever could.

I don't live my life weighed down by grief. It's not in my personality number one. I find it infinitely easier to be upbeat that I do to be a debbie downer. Being weighed down by grief is not what my mother would want and it's not what I want. I am so excited to get up in the morning and see what potential each day has to offer and I am very much looking forward to my life and my future...
But I will be sore until the day I die.
And until the day I die, not a day will go by that I won't miss her or wish she were here.
And I know that it is this soreness that feeds my cynicism over Breast Cancer Awareness month. Because I know, like too many people know, that breast cancer couldn't be farther fluffy pink-ness.
Breast Cancer ain't pretty. Even in pink. (Is that a pun? Sort of? No? Ok. (I'm just funny))

I also feel like I need to say that I don't remember those 12 years as an awful horrible time period in my life.
Truthfully, I remember them as really happy and always filled with love- with some spots of scary and badness. And not the other way around. I think that's a huge testament to my mother and dad. They never let cancer take over and run our lives and for that I got pretty kick-ass childhood.

There. I said my piece. I vow never to speak on Breast Cancer Awareness month again unless I see something really ridiculous like pink puppies bred for breast cancer awareness.

AND

In light of breast cancer awareness, I feel it is only fitting to give a Breast Cancer Awareness PSA in Confusing Ideas fashion:



Elf Amy would like to remind you there's nothing funny about having a mother with cancer.

...but she IS wearing her mother's post-chemo wig under that elf hat AND wearing her mothers "bangs" as a beard.
But again...nothing funny about this.
At all.

Please.

Be aware of Breast Cancer.

Children shouldn't have the option of wearing their mother's post-chemo wigs as part of their Halloween costume.
...even if it is slightly amusing.
Which it isn't.
At all.