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Article:
Live Strong by: Bridget Nolen Lance Armstrong won his 6th Tour de' France this year, transforming him from an American hero to an American icon, a survivor of cancer who beat the odds, along with a handful of other competitors. His journey and triumph, in every sense of those words, has provoked a campaign for cancer awareness that has become quite'trendy. Wearing yellow bracelets that resemble thick, sturdy rubber bands engraved ' LIVE STRONG' is both a way to show your support for people in another group as well pronounce a sort of membership in your own. To date the Lance Armstrong Foundation has sold more than 13 million bands. Regardless of whether it's a trend or not, the proceeds have gone to cancer research, so the true reason people have for wearing those bracelets is somewhat beyond the point. An article I read titled 'Bands of Honor' explained that these bracelets along with others that have been popular 'symbolize friendship, values, beliefs and connections, and are a subtle way to wear your heart on your sleeve, er, wrists.' In asking those that have worn or are aware of what these bracelets represent, I have discovered that Lance Armstrong, who has already succeeded in winning so many races, against competitors, against time, against obstacles, has also succeeded in putting us all on a personal journey towards living strong. I discussed the meaning of LIVE STRONG first with my girlfriends this summer as we drove to the beach, armed with bagels despite the low carb craze, emerging from a house of 15 girls that in no way paints the picture of health, recovering from another consecutive late night. It all causes us, for the most part, to be careless with just about every part of our bodies, including out hearts. I wondered out loud if we were being hypocritical by wearing these bracelets. Even as I ask this question aloud to my friends I silently marveled at the art of wearing so many different faces in one lifetime- that of a school teacher, a sister, a nurturer, a single (late) 20 something, a friend. I question whether these faces are somewhat evident at work, whether I am more transparent than I think, whether I let anyone of them define me, and whether while wearing any of these faces, I am setting an example of living strong. As I momentarily gaze out the window overwhelmed with these regressions and engrossed in the sounds of Bruce Springsteeen singing the sound track of a life that resembles mine, I am rightfully interrupted with my girlfriend's response. She says, simply,' I guess it depends on how you define living strong. It has to be about what it means to you.' So, I've gotten to thinking what Live Strong means to me, at '26
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