What Though the Odds…

I get a lot of questions about the title of my book. “Interesting choice” was the comment I heard most recently, followed by, “What made you choose that?” I smiled to myself before I replied.

If you are a Notre Dame fan, you know.

If you aren’t a Notre Dame fan, then I am really thrilled you are reading my book! And I am happy to explain the origin of the title:

What Though the Odds be great or small, old Notre Dame will win overall…is a line from the Notre Dame Victory March - also known as the Notre Dame Fight Song. The melody is one of the most widely recognized fight songs in the country; and, I have been told, the most used by high schools for their own fight song. For me it is a tune that stirs my emotions: pride, love, happiness - strong emotions that can only be felt, not explained.

I thought those words defined clearly the message I was trying to convey in my book: that no matter what, we will overcome, that we will “win” in the race of life - just not perhaps the race we thought we would (or wanted to) win.

The Notre Dame Victory March takes on a whole new meaning for me now, and I’ll never sing the song the same way again. I am sure we all have songs that inspire and stir up emotions within us. It is the power of a melody.

Yesterday I was presented the “Virtues of St. Paul: Most Inspiring Story” Award as part of the Induction ceremony to the Sports Faith International Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place at Halas Hall at the Chicago Bears Headquarters. As a football fan, just being there was very cool: the history, trophies and mass inside an NFL auditorium. But really the best part of the day was two-fold and more personal: meeting the people involved with Sports Faith International and meeting up with a dear (I try not to say “old”) friend.

Sports Faith International promotes just what its name states: Faith in Sports. I love this. Especially because my experience as a swimmer led me to Xavier, to Notre Dame and ultimately to strengthening my community of faith, as I did yesterday when I met fellow inductees: Bill Bidwell (owner of the AZ Cardinals) and John Gagliardi (the “winning-est” coach in college football with nearly 500 wins). Both of these men have been successful in sport while never compromising their faith.

I also spent the afternoon with a teammate from Notre Dame; a friend who I may only see once a year, but with whom it takes less than a minute to catch up…and then a day is too short. What an honor to be recognized for Sharing the Inspiration and even better to share the honor with a dear friend. It as a great day of Faith and Friendship - old and new.

I love Fridays during Lent. Not necessarily because I love fish (as Catholics avoid eating meat on Fridays during Lent), but because I am reminded each Friday that we are in a time of preparation. During the rest of the year Sundays are a day of reflection; but during Lent, Fridays are too.

On the first Friday of Lent I am usually still thinking about the Ash Wednesday readings: some of my favorite of the liturgical year. From the Gospel of Matthew:

“But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6: 3-4

Not many of us speak of or use alms, but I love what the idea of alms and this reading represent: Do what you do for your service to God and others. Not to be thanked; not for others to know what you are doing; not for any other acknowledgement or reward than to know you are doing God’s good works and will.

That is the true meaning of Lent. That is what we should be doing when instead most of us have given something up. Perhaps we should give up seeking praise and appreciation instead of dessert (which is what I give up every year, including this one).

Happy Lent! Happy Friday!

When I was in elementary school in Phoenix, Arizona, we did not have snow days. However, one morning our school called to tell us that the main road to the school had flooded and that there would be no school that day. I will never forget crawling into my parents’ warm waterbed on that cold rainy morning to snuggle with my mom. I can’t remember what we did that day, but I remember the feelings of excitement and comfort of staying at home with my family. It was the closest we would get to having a snow day.

Fast forward 30 years to Maryland with my own children in elementary school and we are living through the snowiest winter on record. Last totals listed almost 80 inches of snow for the season…Almost 50 inches falling over the past six days, and on none of those days have we had school. It is not a snow day, it’s our snow week. And I wonder what my children will remember from this week? Sledding? Having to stay inside? Pancakes every morning? Movie night every night? Actually, I would be fine if their memory fades as mine has, and if all they remember are the excitement and comfort of staying at home as a family.

This has been a good reminder and lesson for me to recall: it is not so much the details of our lives, but the feelings with which we live.

This past weekend we had an unexpected visitor: Mr. Stephen, one of the Midshipman we sponsored as a Plebe (during his freshman year at the Naval Academy), came to visit. He spent four years at our house (and some summers), and has since graduated, gotten married and will become a father this spring. My boys have not seen him since he graduated - and they were thrilled.

That night, as we were sitting around our kitchen table: my husband, myself, Mr. Stephen and Mr. Sam (one of our current Mids, who will be commissioned an officer this May…aka: graduate) I realized how lucky I am to have these two young men in our lives, and I noted how much our friendships and relationships have changed.

We met both Mr. Stephen and Mr. Sam as 17 year olds just entering the Naval Academy. During their Plebe (freshman) year, they mostly slept on our couch, raved about my food (love them!) and played board games or Wii with our boys. I was thrilled to be their “Sponsor Mom;” it was an honor to serve them as they prepared to serve our country.

But something evolved over their four years at the Naval Academy - and I noticed it sitting at our kitchen table last weekend. We became friends and I enjoy their friendship and presence in our lives. They still play Wii with the boys, but they are adults with whom I know we will always be in touch.

We are often thanked for being a sponsor family. But it is true: in giving, we have recieved the teasured blessing of true friendship.

8 years ago today, my oldest son was born. As with every child born, he changed my life forever. But his birth also changed this week from one of uncertainty to one of joy.

Anniversaries and birthdays are emotional events. The anniversary of the bus accident is always an unknown day for me. Time does heal, but there are always scars, however faded.

When James was born, and for a few years afterwards, my entire focus these few days was on his birthday and that celebration. I never forgot the 24th, but it was overshadowed. Over the past few years while writing the book and since its publication, I relived the story and that night over and over - and it returned to be a part of my daily life…but in a different way.

As I celebrate James’s birthday - with true joy and through the excited eyes of an 8-year-old, it is with pride and honor that I look towards tomorrow. Life is funny, and I have learned to embrace the uncertainty and change. Those are the lessons I have learned from my children. Those are the lessons that have carried me through this January anniversary.

Recently I received an email from the mother of a spinal injury patient. She first contacted me last year around the holidays, and we have kept in touch over the past year. In her most recent email, she asked me to resend the first email I had sent from Christmas Day 2008. Thank goodness for even my limited knowledge of web-based mail, for I did still have last year’s email.

But that started me thinking about the timing of a year - and how fast that year goes for some, yet how long for others. When we only hear from someone every few weeks, or even a few times a year, we do not have a glimpse into their day-to-day lives. For a spinal injury patient, those day-to-day tasks sometimes make the days and years seem longer.

None of us knows what each other lives with on a daily basis: the challenges, the hardships and even the joy. It is a good reminder that while someone might have healed physically, the healing continues in ways we might not see. And this can take years.

For those of you who may be struggling as the new year is underway, I wish you peace and joy through your challenges and hardships.

I recently read a newspaper article that stated that 70% of New Year’s resolutions are broken by the end of January. Interesting.

Maybe we are setting our resolutions too high or being unrealistic. Maybe we need to add “try to” to our resolutions. That way, if we fall short one day, we can “try to” get it done the next day, or the next week.

Some people take New Years Resolutions more seriously than others. But I think there is one thing towards which we can all strive: to be grateful. Even on days when you do not feel as though you have much for which to be thankful, I bet you can find something. Happiness and joy are all around you, in large or small doses, if you choose to see it.

Being grateful may seem like an easy resolution, but let’s give it a try any way. And I bet we’ll last past the end of January!

Before looking ahead to 2010, I have to take a moment to reflect on the many events and opportunities I had in 2009. With a grateful heart I say thank you to everyone who read my book, who invited me to speak, and who listened to me speak (some of you more than once!) I am often thanked for sharing my story; and I always reply that it is my honor to share my story. It may take time away from my family and it may be exhausting at times, but I never think twice about continuing to Share the Inspiration when given the opportunity.

Just yesterday I received two emails that sum up how I feel, and why I do what I do. The first was from someone whom I have never met - a reader who took the time to write to me after he read my book. First of all, without even reading his email, I am touched: touched that he read the book and touched that he would take the time to e-mail me afterwards. In part it reads: I could not put down What Though the Odds. I just want to thank you for sharing your story and turning a negative into a huge positive. I truly believe that’s what God intends for us in our life on earth: Take what you’ve been dealt and make the best  hand possible.

The second e-mail I received was from someone whom I respect immensely. It was a forward that read: Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.

As we begin the New Year, I will keep these two thoughts in mind: to continue to make the best of my opportunities and challenges, and to never forget all I have received.

With a grateful heart, I wish you a blessed 2010.

It is very early on December 25th and I am too excited to sleep. I have woken up about four times since we went to bed - anxiously awaiting the morning. I can’t wait to see the hopeful looks on my sons’ faces as they peek to discover that Santa has arrived.

I remember as a child often hearing my mom say, “I would rather give a gift than receive a gift.” As a child I did not understand this; as a parent I do.
Believe it or not, my pace has slowed this holiday week and I have had more time than normal to reflect and be reminded of what is most important. Maybe it is all the snow that has kept us inside; or maybe it is the joy I see each day as my children countdown the days until Christmas.

Hope, love, joy and gifts. These are the gifts of Advent that we have discussed in our home as we prepared for Christmas. But there is another word that has crossed my mind this week as well: traditions. Traditions that make this holiday all it should be - and all it will be - for my family. Baking family recipes, reading my mom’s Advent program, the silly games we play with the naughty elf in our house. Even most of our Christmas decorations go up in the same place each year, much to the delight of children: like the children’s nativity set that has often been infused with Lego men this December. It is wonderful.

My hope is that these traditionsthat will one day help teach my children the joy of giving and sharing with others. We are getting there. My older son asked if he could go to the mall to buy his brother a present. My younger son could not wait to wrap a calender for his brother, shortly after he declared (on our way to the sledding hill), “Snow and family! That’s all I need for Christmas!” He might feel differently if there was nothing under the tree for him, but with comments like that how could Santa not go shopping?

As you gather together in celebration, I wish you the gifts of love, hope and joy. Merry Christmas.