There were so many wonderful moments last weekend at my college reunion, it’s hard to say which is my favorite. Most likely, THEY ALL ARE.
This morning I awoke to a reminder from my friend Susan reminding us of the beautiful candlelighting ceremony that we all shared. It is during that time that the graduating seniors are ceremoniously inducted into the Alumnae association. (For my grammarians who love to silently correct my grammar, ALUMNAE is correct, we atteneded an all Women’s College.) You sit in near silence as one by one the light is passed from the President to other stage guests, and then down into the audience. One by one, a light is shared person-to-person, without diminishing the light of the giving candle.
There was a quote from Marianne Williamson that Susan shared this morning about our deepest fear. “Our DEEPEST FEAR is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE.” I’ve posted it in full below.
Susan is doing something UTTERLY REMARKABLE this weekend. As a 25 year college graduate, she’s going to the equivalent of the OLYMPIC TRIALS, well she and BOXSTER. And I am cheering them on with my whole heart, as are the rest of her college sisters.
To be clear, Boxster is a Cocker Spaniel,and it is the AGILITY OLYMPIC TRIALS – officially known as the 2014 AKC World Team Tryouts. I’m sure I can never do it justice to explain how cool it is, but Boxster is FAST, very FAST, and Susan is VERY FAST, too. You have to be when you’re working an Agility Course.
You see though, BOXSTER is a cocker spaniel. And from what I understand, cocker spaniels are not a TYPICAL agility dog, let alone usually fast enough to make it to this level of competition.
But here’s where he is different, Boxster doesn’t look around and think:
I don’t look like these other dogs, there’s almost no one here like me, how can I fit in?
Where are all the other cocker spaniels?
Is my hair good enough?
Should run slower so that cute dog over there notices me?
It’s crazy for us to even think that a dog would think that way … BOXSTER just sees the course and says “LET ME AT IT!”
BOXSTER shines.
And BOXSTER shines because MOM and DAD allow it. They have created the environment, LITERALLY, for Boxster to train and run and work the practice courses. They are in it with all their heart and soul. And I am proud to call them friends.
Even more so, I am proud to be reminded that I can shine, too. That I don’t have to play small, that I serve no one by not being who God created me to be.
Somehow this continues to be message I receive. Everyday for a week now.
Whew. Message Received.