Wake up. Hit the Snooze. Wake up again. Check Facebook. Go to class. Check Facebook. Watch TV. Eat dinner. Party with friends.
In the midst of everything "college" we are easily sucked into the "self-bubble." It is the condition of not seeing outside your own world. Within it, there are no such things as hunger, homelessness or sickness. It isn't until one of these tragedies comes blasting into our lives, like a crazy spring storm, that we clearly see the world around us.
With only three weeks left, many Ball State students are getting ready for what is likely to be one of the greatest experiences of their lives. Ball State Dance Marathon is a student-driven commitment to raise money for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. On February 19, hundreds of Ball State students will join together to "stand for those who can't." From 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., these students will not sit down. Most important of all, they will meet and hear the stories of families whose lives have been changed by Riley.
I've heard numerous reasons for why students don't want to take part in Dance Marathon: One of the most common and most heartbreaking is "I don't want to stand for that long." We DM for the kids who have struggled their whole lives with life-altering illness, kids who have literally fought for their lives. In light of that, 12 hours doesn't seem that bad.
One of those kids is Sarah, a freshman who was treated at Riley for a blood illness that could have taken her life.
"Riley not only gave me a second chance at life, but the staff there made my hospital stay a positive experience," she said. "A hospital can be a terrifying place for a child, but at Riley they treat the patient, not the illness. They cared about me."
"... Dance Marathon is our chance to give kids hope. In dedicating just one night, you are giving hope for a lifetime. To me, that sounds like an incredible deal."
If you haven't signed up, I challenge you to ask yourself, "Why not?" Don't miss this chance. I hope to see you at BSUDM 2011.
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