I am blogging from the sky above Colorado… Dan, Erin and I are on our way to Palm Desert for our second annual Thanksgiving in California. It has been a whirlwind fall and we will try to soak up some R & R before we head into the holiday season back in Minnesota.
This past weekend was full of “Shannon moments” - from the high school musical starring one of Shannon’s friends, to a book signing where people asked about our story, to speaking at a hall of fame induction ceremony for a local area high school. Three and a half years gone, but her picture on the screen still evokes emotion, not only for me and Dan, but for those with whom we share our story.
When we return from the holiday break, we will be in our 10 week stretch that involves a capital fundraising campaign for the SOF, 6 Shannon Cup hockey tournaments, a SOF night at HS girls hockey, the Rochester Area Sports Commission Banquet, and finally, wrapping up on February 13th with our 4th Annual Shannon O’Hara Memorial Scholarships. It’s all so good and so worthwhile. But, that doesn’t mean it’s easy…
We made this decision last year, to travel at Thanksgiving time. It’s OK to do what we want, right? We want to go play golf together. We want to recharge our batteries and fire up for the season ahead.
I heard in the news this week that Lloyd Carr, the former University of Michigan football coach lost his 5 year-old grandson to a brain tumor. When I hear of someone young dying so quickly, I immediately check to find out what kind of tumor it was. Sure enough, DIPG. Damn it’s an awful disease. I hope that I see some change in life expectancy in my lifetime. I wish I had millions of dollars to give to scientists doing the research…
But, instead, we will give what we can and will keep giving scholarships in Shannon’s memory.
I’ve really been loving Adele’s new album, 25. Lots of great songs on there, but one particular song, A Million Year Ago, is about living with regrets.
Sometimes I feel it’s only me
Who never became who they thought they’d be
I wish I could live a little more
Look up to the sky not just the floor
I feel like my life is flashing by
All I can do is watch and cry
