THE TITLE

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.