We hope that everyone had a great and wonderful Thanksgiving with their family/friends. I know this is several days after Thanksgiving, but many of you know and love Tony Ralf, and we wanted to share what 25 things he is Thankful for with the 25th Anniversary ride of Cactus & Crude. Enjoy!!!! 25 Things Tony Ralf is Thankful For. 1. My wife: shes my best friend and my #1 fan. From her I receive unconditional love and acceptance. She always makes me feel like Im special and liked. Im the luckiest guy in the world for having found my soul-mate. 2. For having had a wonderful sister, Pauline, and for the memories that are constant reminders of her short 51 years of life. 3. For not being consumed with anger towards multiple sclerosis for taking my sister from me, so I might take aim and work decisively to rid the world of this disease. 4. For 11-year-old Mallory Reid (Lubbock) for helping mend my heart and fill the void in me with inspiration, for her determination to fight her own MS and so light the way for me to achieve all I can for her and all others living with MS. 5. For my Cactus and Crude friends. If I named them all individually, from wonderful acquaintances to tried and true friends, Id have a list of hundreds to be thankful for right there. There are a lot of good people, near and far, involved in this Bike MS event whom I can count on, who care about me, and who want only the best for everyone living with multiple sclerosis. I truly value these good people and will never have enough of them or too many. 6. Im Thankful for the opportunity to do good and for the things we’ve been able to do and accomplish in West Texas. 7. Being a nice person. Im hardly perfect, but its good to know in my heart that Im a kind person. Id never intentionally hurt anyone. I dont believe in being mean. I hate to see anyone cry and love to see people smile; I genuinely appreciate and care about people. 8. For the volunteers and riders who have accomplished the goals they set in each successive year’s Cactus and Crude event. To one degree or another, they’ve followed through on things, and have reserves of stick-to-itiveness. 9. Being able to laugh “with” everyone the weekend of the Cactus and Crude when the going gets tough. I like that these people can often smile their way through challenges and find the bright side in order to overcome. 10. Being an American and a Texan (yes I am!). Taking nothing away from any other country, Im just being thankful for the United States. It may not be perfect--what place is? But I love it nonetheless. 11. Showers on Saturday at SWICD. Theyre especially satisfying after the long ride for cyclists and the long day volunteers put in each year. 12. I’m grateful for our wonderful West Texas volunteers, no matter what they do. I sure am thankful that so many people volunteer for the Cactus and Crude in so many different ways. 13. Our corporate partners for believing in our cause, like Apache and H-E-B and so many more. These companies help with additional funding, providing products for the weekend, encouraging volunteerism and building their own bike team. This all helps our marketing effort focusing on the Cactus and Crude and of raising awareness about MS. 14. The kindness of strangers. I love it when someone I dont know smiles at me or says or does something nice, just because. 15. The hard times, because theyve made me stronger and hopefully a little wiser, and the good times even better. 16. All those whove ever served our country. Its an admiral and brave thing they do. Our men and women in uniform, past and present, have, do and will give so much for us all -- as do their families. 17. The Cactus and Crude weekend’s dusk and dawn. They dont last long, but I love it when Im able to visit and watch the sun set and rise. 18. The morning sunshine in Midland and Post on event weekend. Doesnt it feel good? I know, too much isnt such a good thing, but, oh, just to soak up that West Texas splendor for a while is a delight for me each July. 19. The sound of the rain in Midland and Post on event weekend, not too much! Unfortunately, that doesnt happen a whole lot in West Texas, but what a treat when it does and creates that earthy aroma in the air. 20. Health, and the ability to work the Cactus and Crude weekend! Health is NOT a given. Thanks again and again for each day I stay fit. 21. Quality conversations with the good people living with MS, their caregivers, riders, volunteers, our sponsors and total strangers. I enjoy my Cactus and Crude weekends and being able to have a genuinely good conversation. No holding back, no arguing. Just talking, sharing ideas, and providing opinions on ending MS forever. 22. I’m thankful that there are people out there who care about their neighbor…and you don’t get much more neighborly than West Texans. There are people who care about taking care of those that can’t take care of themselves; and without these good people we’d be living in a pretty gloomy place. 23. Acts 20:35 24. Today 25. Lyndee Groce for inspiring me to make this list! It was fun and felt good, too. That’s it. Y’all go on home now, mates…!
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 19:29:02 +0000
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