My Response to the Ice Bucket Challenge

by Elizabeth | Aug 22, 2014 | Learning Story

I am thankful for friends who nominated me to take the ice bucket challenge. I think it means they think of me as a combo charitable/adventurous person. I like to think of myself that way too:-)!

The truth is, I used to be very adventurous and extremely competitive. I would have likely accepted any challenge that wouldn’t do extreme bodily harm for the simple purpose of “winning” and proving myself “strong” and “worthy.”

I don’t know if it’s because I feel old or because I’ve had a lot of injuries leading to surgeries in recent years, but I no longer have any desire to do things like dump ice on my body – whether to prove myself or to raise money for a worthy cause. I’m not as adventurous as I used to be.

I confess — when a friend asked me if I had done it yet, I spoke too quickly, too bluntly.

“No, I haven’t done it, and I’m not going to.” Boom!

“’Oh,’ she said, taken aback, and I instantly regretted my intensity. ‘Someone challenged me and I thought you would be a good person to challenge.’”

I tried to back up, “I’m sorry – let me clarify – when I think of hard ice hitting my head and shoulders, all I think of is pain. I am happy to donate, but I’m not going to do the ice-dumping. So, of course, you may challenge me.”

(By the way, after watching lots of these videos, I realized that most people are using water that has been iced down, not the buckets of ice I envisioned, but – further confession — I still don’t really want to do it.)

After my friend and I hung up, I wondered about my response — am I really happy to donate? Honestly, not completely. I don’t think it’s because I don’t like giving. I think it’s because I’m proud and independent. The truth is I like to make my own decisions about how to give and to whom. (It turns out the original challenge was a choice – either dump the ice – or give to a worthy cause).

Then I asked myself – well, is ALS a worthy cause? It is a terrible disease that involves dying motor neurons and loss of voluntary muscle movement. My friend mentioned in her video that she was doing it for a relative who died of ALS. Her story reminded me of something I had completely forgotten (stories have a way of doing that!) — my husband’s grandmother, our beloved “Mimi,” also suffered with the disease in her latter years and ultimately succumbed to it. Would I love to see researchers find a cure? Absolutely!

All of that thinking (yes, some would say OVERTHINKING!) has led me to some conclusions:

I want to be a “cheerful giver” (1 Cor. 9:7). I want to be the kind of woman who makes sacrifices for others, both physical and financial. I am really really grateful to have the kinds of friends who not only endured the ice onslaught but also gave cheerfully. And I am also grateful that they invited me.

And yes, I have made a decision about my response to the ice-bucket challenge! I hope you’re not disappointed that I can’t tell you what it is – that is part of the decision. Instead, I’ll leave you with a challenge —

Share your stories and thoughts on ice-bucket challenges, ALS, giving, etc.