Thankful Thursday: Ronnie & Mandi Sharpe

¡Hola señors y señorítas! It's time to be thankful again! This week is like any other week, there's a lot to be thankful for! This week We're especially thankful for something, or should I say someone. We want to dedicate this Thankful Thursday to them! Here's to you our friends!

Our thankfulness for Ronnie and Mandi Sharpe:

I'm thankful for none other than the man, the myth, the legend........ Ronnie Sharpe himself....... and his wife Mandi! For those of you in the CF community, this man needs no introduction. As soon as you jump into the CF community on the web, you will see his name and face all over! He's done A LOT for the CF community! Saying he's done A LOT actually is the understatement of the year! He has completely changed the CF community on the web. His blog, run sick boy run (rsbr), and the social media site he co-created, CysticLife, have done wonders for the CF community. Honestly I had nothing to do with anything CF on the web. I got into it probably about 3 years ago when Monica and I got married. She really wanted to learn as much as she could and jump head first into anything and everything CF she could get her hands on. She discovered rsbr and began following Ronnie's blog, and subsequently discovered CysticLife. She kept urging me to follow Ronnie and Mandi and get on CysticLife as well. I was reluctant. I can be stubborn and head strong at times. My feeling was why do I need to follow another CFer's life and start another social media profile?

Everyday Monica was discovering something on Ronnie's blog and calling me into the office to see. She was so excited to be learning so much about CF and following Ronnie and Mandi on rsbr! When the person you love more than anything becomes passionate about something, it rubs off on you. I began following Ronnie's blog and started my CysticLife profile. I can honestly say I have learned and grown so much in the past 3 years as a man, CFer, and husband. Partly due to being newly married and having the responsibility of provider placed on my shoulders, partly due to watching my CF progress faster than it has in my life, and partly because of Ronnie's blog and CysticLife.

I've been really motivated by Ronnie. He's very real about things and shares the same feelings I have about CF. He's not a complainer. I do not like complaining about my CF, or making excuses for myself because of it. Ronnie doesn't either. Ronnie is a go-getter. He is motivated to be the healthiest he can be and inspire as many people with CF as he can to do the same! Has he always been that way? According to his blog..... no. And he's very open about sharing that story and spreading that message that most of us are not. We don't take care of ourselves the "right" way or try "our hardest." We tell people and ourselves that we do, when if we took a step back and looked, we'd realize we weren't doing all that we could. It's because of Ronnie and his blog that I've been able to make that realization over and over.

For me, I need to be reminded that even when I think I'm doing my best, I'm not. I can always try a little harder, run a little farther, workout on those days where I feel crummy and not up to it. There's always more that can be done.

I'm thankful for Ronnie Sharpe and his lovely wife Mandi! She can't be forgotten either. She has sacrificed a lot to help Ronnie and has done just as much for the CF community! Here's to you 2 awesome peeps! I'm so thankful God has put you on this beautiful green Earth! I could fill a book, but I'll leave at this. I appreciate all you do! I cannot thank you enough! Love you guys!

P.S. To see the motivation behind my posting this check out Ronnie's post on his blog, it's what made me realize just how thankful I am for all he's done!

http://runsickboyrun.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-cystic-fibrosis-mantra.html