Earlier this week I went shopping with a friend. She, like me, is a lipstick fanatic (amongst other things). We decided to go to a local upscale mall and played for hours at Nordstrom and Neimann’s. It was so much fun and yes, we walked out with a few things. It’s funny in a bad economy how everyone wants to help you find the right shade or the right scent. Just a few years ago when the economy was a little better, no one behind the counters even looked at me while I played.
In sharp contrast, the next day I was at a homeless shelter with another one of my friends. She heads up the children and youth services there because yes, there are many homeless families. This particular home housed over 200 people; years ago predominantly men, now, the majority women and children. They have a three year program that helps people from the inside out. Not only taking them out of addiction, but bringing them back to health and confidence internally and externally. My friend Melissa told me that many people come with just the clothes on their backs. All I know is that the face of homeless has changed. Some were former ‘suburbanites’, working class, who have either struggled with addiction or who have lost their job and have nothing left. Many are single moms and some are teenagers who have lost their youth to drugs and alcohol. The shelter is immaculate and completely supplied by donations, from the food and clothing, to the bedding and toiletries. I wanted to weep at all that they don’t have and yet these people surrounding me were surviving, thriving, wanting and accepting change. It made me ponder my trip to the mall and all the people who surrounded me just the day before.
A couple strange headlines this week; first, on CNN there was news that there may be a blood test that can determine how long you will live. Would you take it? Does it allow for things like cancer, accidents, or being struck by lightning? And second, apparently the world is going to end. Both these crazy stories lead to the question, if you knew you were going to die would you live your life differently? We all know our birthdays but if we knew our death date, what would we change? Having cancer multiple times brought that question to the forefront of my mind and still does, but we are all survivors. The people at the mall surviving and coping with the economy, the people at the homeless shelter trying to overcome and survive, and everyone else who is dealing with daily adversities. Life changes in a minute, no one knows the day or the hour of the end, so celebrate and live your moments intentionally.
Today I’ve got to go with the red lipstick again because living boldly is incredible; but I’m going sheer (because it’s day time and I’ve got nowhere to go). I am going with Lipstick Queen-Medieval. It is a sheer red that anyone can wear and it feels like a lip balm, how can you go wrong?
Anna's Lipstick Journey 
The sooner the disease of cancer is conquered, by medical science and its application, then the better for all of us……ok!
Absolutely!