Today was our first rest day! We got to sleep in!! Well to 7am; but that’s late when usually you wake up at 430…
We had to be out of the church we slept in last night by 8. We had our dedication circle like normal and then we all drove to a café/coffee shop. We drove down 191 to our next host and left the support van there. We then went to Arches Nation Park! Yesterday when Elizabeth and I played pick up football, we were told that we HAD to see Delicate Arch. So that’s the one trail our team hiked. The trail was supposed to take 2-3 hours. It’s a 3-mile round trip hike to see the arch. We stopped and took advantage of tons of photo opportunities so we took a little longer than expected. But we got some gorgeous pictures!!!
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| Delicate Arch, Arches National Park |
After hiking we went back to our new host and relaxed for a
while. We got everyone’s laundry together and a group of 6 of us went into town
to do laundry and go to the aquatics center. Lindsay, Elizabeth, Bethie, Susan,
Sarah and I went to the Moab Diner for dinner.
It was delicious! I had a western omelette, hash browns, toast and
biscuits and gravy!!
We came back to the church to get ready for bed and to see
the supermoon! Tonight the moon was the
closest and brightest full moon of 2013. For some really cool information about this
years supermoon and to see when the closest moon will be seen in the 21st
century (Dec. 6 2052) you can check out this link: http://earthsky.org/tonight/is-biggest-and-closest-full-moon-on-june-23-2013-a-supermoon#.UcZ1sZIMHFo
It’s where I learned more about the supermoon after being
told by some of my teammates and citizens of Moab!
Today, even though it was a rest day, was dedicated in honor
of someone. Today I honored Emily Benatar. She was a sister of mine in Alpha
Phi at Washington University in St. Louis. Emily was in my pledge class. As
freshmen we were all excited to join Alpha Phi and get to know all of our
sisters. Late in the semester, Emily became very sick and was hospitalized. She
had meningitis. Em was in the hospital for about three weeks. We weren’t
allowed to visit her but we each wrote little notes and photoshopped them
together to make a big poster which we had hung in her hospital room. The
chapter was kept up to date on how she was doing and knew when her family came
to town to be with her. We all clung to the idea that she was improving and
would soon be healthy and happy again. After my finals in May, I went on an
executive retreat with CS40 (a programming group at WashU). It was during those
three days that I got the email that Em had passed. It was tragic. I didn’t
know what to do or say or think. I missed the vigil at school because I was
away for the retreat. No one with me knew Emily as well as I did and I was all
alone taking in the news of her death.
I know this run is for cancer, but for me, Emily’s death was
the only struggle that I have seen someone fight through. We followed how she
was doing every day. Not a class went by that I didn’t check my email for an
update. I imagine that’s how people feel when a loved one is struggling against
cancer. When you can see their life slipping away. This goes to show us all
that even when people may not have been through the exact situation you’re
going through, it doesn't mean that they can't relate to you. Always know you
have people to reach out to. Everyone goes through times of loss and agony.
Emily Benatar was an amazing young woman. She was beautiful
and kind. She was a sister that I knew I could have a good time with and she
would laugh and be silly to brighten someone’s day. She was incredible. I only
knew Emily for about a year and was a sister to her for a semester. But she
will always be in my heart. No one will ever forget her.
Rest in Peace Em
AOE
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