‘Tis the Season for Courage
The Studio has been bustling and powerhouses are getting stronger!! A big welcome to all new clients that came through the doors this past year. I truly appreciate your business and having faith in me to help you build strength and flexibility. To my year round clients, you are the reason I keep showing up each day. Thank you for working so hard. I know Pilates is not easy, but with your steadfast determination, you will only get stronger. I am grateful for you and look forward to helping you all reach your goals!
Courage. How does one define courage? To me, it lies within us waiting to be embraced. Those small baby steps that can change your life’s direction or simply give you that needed extra burst of confidence to move forward. The courage to wake up each day and face it after losing a loved one, the courage to believe in yourself and your abilities, courage to discern when you need to make a change in life. The courage to care for loved ones who you see slipping away. We tend to think of big moments that define courage, but I say it's the small moments. You never know when or where that inspiration will present itself.....
“Perhaps I am stronger than I think.”
This year, the 124th Army-Navy game was played at Gillette stadium. An item on my bucket list was finally going to come true! For those who don’t know, my husband was born in Boston, but moved to West Point as a young boy when his father, Coach Jack Riley, took over as head coach of the Army Hockey team. For just about 75 years, a Riley has been head coach of the men’s hockey team. Pretty amazing.
As we were hunting for gear to wear to the game, we found several old hockey shirts. The one I was planning to wear had to go to my husband because his choice was a tad too small. There was one left. It was bright yellow and had a shamrock with initials on the front honoring a young assistant coach and former cadet/hockey player who died suddenly of a heart attack in 1998. I would normally never wear bright yellow, but this time, something in me said to wear it.
We had the most spectacular time at the game! I will never forget all the images - kids, grandparents, everyone from all over the country enjoying themselves. Parachutes filling the air over the stadium, the flyover of jets and choppers and practically every car and truck tailgating flying the American flag....just incredible! Gillette Stadium had tanks and other military equipment for all to climb on and see. The Kraft family deserves a shout out for making the stadium truly shine for these American heroes and their families.
But the most incredible part happened long after the game (Army wins!!) was over. We had a bit of a mix up with the car, and let’s just say we were basically stranded on Route 1 in the dark of night, waiting to get picked up by our sons. While standing on the sidewalk, facing traffic and looking for our car, a family passes me from behind, and the dad turned and just pointed, speechless, to my shirt with a look in his eyes that I shall never forget, but find it difficult to express. A touch of sadness, incredulousness, and perhaps gratitude. I said “Go Army,” but he kept pointing and that’s when I realized he was pointing to the shamrock with the young coach's initials in it. PJH. Paul Joseph Haggerty, USMA class of 1991. Turns out this dad was a player on that hockey team who honored Coach Haggerty. He kept walking away and I never got his name.
I have a strong feeling that somehow seeing that old hockey shirt honoring his former coach ignited something in him and whatever challenges he is facing in his life, he woke up that next day and had the courage to tackle it.
Wishing all of you and your families moments of peace, courage, and faith this holiday season. Never stop believing!
In peace and health,
Debbie
