The Ripple Effect
I started writing this to you on Friday, but never got to finish my thoughts before I was pulled away from my computer. Although it's 2 days later, I still want to get this down and write this to you.
I hope we were as poised and elegant with our situation this year as you would've wanted us to be. It's never easy on us, you know that. Every day is a battle, especially without you as our ring leader, but I hope we made you proud. We showed different facets of our team to the university this year that didn't surround the pool. Like how we represented in both fall and spring lifting challenges-we really proved our strength!-or how we dedicated our Relay for Life efforts to Mr. Reid and you. We raised over $8,000 for cancer research, awareness, and efforts! We made a difference, coach! We're making strides towards a future with less cancer. Life is bigger than our team, athletics, SBU, the US, etc, and we're doing something to change it. I don't think we can have a bigger accomplishment.
Even though we are still pool-less, and we've even lost respect from some people in the athletic department, from other teams/coaches, or people around campus, we've grown as a team to face this time of adversity and apply it in a larger-than-myself/my team sense. I'm really impressed by all the people still on our team. Some might say we aren't even a team, but we are more of a team now than ever. The challenges that we face on a daily basis shape us and really test our true character. I'm proud to call my teammates people that I can go to for anything, people that inspire me, people that motivate me to be the best version of myself..and it all started with you. The ripple effect. You've got a place in all our hearts and will always have a place there. You've taught us to look reality in the face, stare it down, and don't look away or blink till the other person blinks, because it ain't over till the fat lady sings! Fighter, that's who you are. And we all have little fighters in ourselves, thanks to you. You were the perfect example of a fighter.
"Thank you" never seems like a phrase good enough to express when it comes to..well..thanking you. I wish you can see me now, I know you can see what a changed person I am today. Never in a million years would I have imagined myself to be such a leader, to be so involved at SBU, to be such a fighter. I have to thank you for showing me some tough love because I most definitely needed it. I'm so much stronger now after the pushes from you. I'm so ambitious; my goals are crystal clear. There's no limit to what I feel like I can accomplish. Thank you for helping me realize what's possible. Apparently everything I've ever wanted! I got into nursing school coach! I did it! It still seems like a dream. I can't believe I get to heal people mentally and physically, it's one of the only things I've ever wanted in life. I can just hear you saying, "atta girl, Em!"
It's times like these when I'm reflecting and writing these raw pieces that I really just feel like I'm talking to you one on one. Life gets in the way of letting me express my fleeing thoughts. I miss you coach. I need some comic relief in my life. When I need some, I just remember you telling me to "go study something," and it makes me chuckle. Sweet dreams, coach.
Love, Em