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Publishers On the Move: MK Publishers Moving in their Communities

By Faith Mellinger, Editor and Publisher of Macaroni Kid Pasadena October 13, 2017

There are over 500 Macaroni Kid Publishers in the United States and Canada and, just like you, they have stories to tell! This month we hear from Faith who overcame her own fears to help another family. 

Last weekend I participated in a charity ride to raise funds for a memorial bench and tree for Piqui Andressian, a young boy who went missing on April 22, 2017, and later was found to have been murdered by his father. It was my first time to Soul Cycle and while I love a good workout, stationary bikes are not my favorite exercise. But my friend was organizing the event and asked me to attend and the cause was worthy, so I decided to lace up my tennies and join the ride. 

As I clipped my shoes into the bike, I had no idea what I was in for. I've done a lot of charity in my life and I have to say the Soul Cycle event was probably the most moving I have ever experienced. 

As I hopped on my bike, first I had to overcome my own phobias. I have a big problem with claustrophobia and feeling trapped. I can't even snorkel without anxiety because of having something covering my face. For the first few minutes of the ride, all I could focus on was the fact that I couldn't move my feet from the pedals. The shoes were clipped in and it was causing me internal struggle. I tried to focus on the music. I tried to look around at all the other participants, anything to get my mind off my feet. Every exercise class has an instructor and ours was Devin. I'm not sure what to call the Soul Cycle leaders, they truly need their own name like yogis or sommelier's get when they have achieved the highest level of expertise in their field. Devin was leading not just a class, he was leading a movement. At the moment when I thought, "I can't take it anymore. I'm going to have to stop and get my foot out of this shoe," he said, "Take a deep breath, do it because you can breathe. Remember this breath and that you are here to celebrate life."

Then my focus changed. I thought about that little boy - the one I never met, but who was the same age as mine at home. The one who wouldn't get a chance to get past his fears, the one who already took his last breath, and wouldn't get a chance to ride a bike again. Then I pedaled harder and Devin kept speaking. This wasn't a workout class anymore. Words of inspiration were directed at the group and tears began to flow. Before I knew it I forgot about my feet - okay I never really forgot, but they were no longer important. There I was riding alongside a grandfather who lost his grandson, a cousin who no longer had her's and the ashes of a child who never got to reach his full potential and I was worried about my feet, on a bike, in a room where I was going nowhere. It really put things in perspective.

As a parent, it's easy to sweat the small stuff because the job is hard, the hours are long and the payoff of doing a great job (which leads to the pressure to do a good job) lasts a lifetime. You hear it so often it's easy to let the words roll in one ear and out the other, "one day you'll wish you had this time back." In the craziness of your daily routine it's hard to believe, but when you're in a room surrounded by people who had that time taken away too soon, you pedal harder, shed a tear, take Devin's wise words to heart and give extra hugs to your loved ones when you return home. I attended this event thinking I was doing something good for someone else, but what "I" got was so much more. 

I walked into Soul Cycle ready to sweat for a cause. I walked out empowered to make the most of every day gifted to me. 

Thanks to the amazing fundraising efforts enough was raised to purchase both a memorial bench and tree. Efforts are now being put toward a new nonprofit, Piqui's Justice. Information on this effort can be found by following Justice for Piqui on Facebook. 

Faith Mellinger is the Editor and Publisher of Macaroni Kid Pasadena. She is also the mom to three wild & crazy boys, PTA President at her local elementary school and a freelance writer (in her spare time).