Corona Virus Shenanigan’s: #SJAVB4Life: Day #53
People often ask me why I like teaching in a Catholic school or why I choose to send my kids to one. Today I’m going to give you an amazing example that I hope addresses both of those questions.
As most of you know my mom has been ill for sometime now. She went to the hospital about a week ago to try to get answers. While I’m happy to report she is home as of today…her journey doesn’t end there. We are still waiting on some test results so I can’t share what I don’t know…but we know that some struggles lie ahead.
Everyone I work with and especially those that have played in our program know the level of importance Gaga has served in my life. As my mom, as my hero, as a mom to all who have the pleasure of knowing her, as a teacher, as a best friend etc, etc. So when my community of Catholic colleagues and friends, students I currently teach and those I haven’t taught in 15 years found out…the support has been overwhelming. But…yesterday surpassed anything I have ever experienced…I’m getting there I promise.
Many of you may also know that I am a large fan of the rosary. I have always believed so strongly in prayer through our Blessed Mother. That love has grown as a result of my job at St. James but comes largely from my own life experience. Mary has always been the direction I turn when I go outward in my prayer life. She is after all…Jesus’s mother and we all know we all listen to our mother’s right?!
When news of Gaga’s hospitalization spread I got texts from alum asking for her cell phone number so they could text her and wish her Happy Mother’s Day. I got texts, calls and emails saying they’d all pray for her and for our families. So that’s part of it… the community that I come from shows up when the poop hits the proverbial fan and they don’t just shoot a text and you never hear from them again. They text, email or call consistently and make sure you feel their love and their prayers.
But…yesterday I got a text from Emily Tripp. Emily was one of our former players and her mother is our 8-year-old Fiona’s 2nd grade teacher. In the text was a link to a video and a message that basically said “It has been a crazy time in quarantine and now even crazier with Gaga in the hospital so I thought this could be a little something to show you that y’all are loved and supported through these times. Love you!”
I had no idea what to expect. I figured it was a silly video that would make me laugh…we are talking about the young girl that used to stand as close to me as she could get and smell me.
Yep…that happened…apparently I smell good (at least according to Tripp). She also happens to be one of the funniest people I know…so I was expecting laughs. I totally got that one wrong.
When I opened the video I immediately started crying. Inside it’s 20 minutes were messages from former players. There were pictures of my family and there was a virtual rosary. The decades were either a video of one of our former players praying or one of their parents and sometimes both. Sometimes I could see their faces and sometimes I could hear their voices. I could always tell who it was…even some of my alum’s children made extra cute appearances!
I was blown away and quite literally speechless. This had to have taken Emily Tripp an inordinate amount of time. Every piece of it was so thoughtful…they even had the kid’s current and former principal (coached her daughter Mary) on video doing part of the rosary. I don’t know all the details about how all of this came together (I am hoping to hear this story) but I know Emily Tripp came up with the idea and enlisted help from Sheridan Zarda and then dozens of former players and even some of their parents took time to record a message and read part of the rosary.
Incredible. This is what makes the community that I work in, raise my kids in so extra special.
When I took the job at St. James it was our goal to build a family, one that would show up for one another when times got tough. An extended family of sorts that didn’t mean you had to play together to be part of each others family. We are bonded by the lessons we learn at St. James. The Christmas party proves that; alum get to meet alum they have heard about but hadn’t ever met until that day. It’s one of my favorite events because of that…our dream being realized. We never intended any of this to be for us, but for the girls instead. This action proved me wrong. We have a family that should we need it, will show up in ways we could never have dreamed of! I know that we built something special and I will forever be proud of that.
So…to all the ladies and gentlemen that took part in the virtual rosary, for all the alum that texted Gaga in the hospital, to all the alum who texted, called and emailed me in the past week…I am incredibly proud to know and have coached all of you. I am incredibly grateful for your loyalty and friendship. Mister and I will ALWAYS be here for you, only one phone call away. Never hesitate to pick up that phone and call. Thank you for being there for my family at this time. I cannot wait to show Gaga and the kids this beautiful gift you have given us that we will never forget.
I am including a link to the video below because it’s too beautiful not to share.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=GIIdtjJH6aQ&app=desktop
Thank you for being my family. We have immense love for all of you!
#dorseyshenanigans
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