Mr. Edwards: Compassion

Mr. Edwards is one of my best friend’s dads. When his daughter, Libby, and I began playing volleyball together four years ago, I didn’t know much about Mr. Edwards other than that he was a devout Michigan fan and told jokes that almost always crossed the line. That entire first year of knowing him, I felt completely intimidated by this 6’3, self-assured man. Those first two years went by quickly, without either of us putting in much effort to get to know one another. Don’t get me wrong, we liked each other very much and got along well, but I had no idea Mr. Edward’s and I would have the relationship we have now. It all stated my sophomore year, right after Libby’s and my volleyball season had ended in June. The summer was just beginning, which meant that I would be spending one week with my dad and one week with my mom, alternating until school began again. My dad and I don’t get along very well, so on weeks that I was supposed to be at his house, I would spend sometimes up to half of the week at the Edward’s home. They were very gracious and inviting, like no one I’ve ever experienced. As the summer progressed, the fights with my dad got more and more serious, until the culmination on August 6, when I left my dad’s house for the final time. I used to think that was the worst summer of my life, and looking at it on the surface it should win by a landslide. But, if I think about everything I went through I wouldn’t change it for the world. That was the summer my dad kicked me out. It was also the summer Mr. Edwards took me in, staying up until 2 in the morning talking to me about anything and everything.  That was the summer my dad told me I was a nuisance to the family. It was also the summer that Mr. Edwards made me realize my worth, that just because I had gone through bad experiences did not mean that I was a bad person. That was the summer that I lost my father. It was also the summer I gained a dad.

Mr. Edwards is one of the most influential, caring, compassionate, driven men I have ever met. I am so blessed to have someone like him in my life because he truly cares about me. What makes it so special is that he has no reason to – I have no blood relation to him – he just does. Mr. Edwards taught me that people are, in fact, good. Because of the experiences with my dad, I had a very bitter outlook on life, believing that if my own father didn’t care about me, then no one else ever would. Mr. Edwards completely wiped away that belief. Without him and the rest of the Edwards - Mrs. Edwards, Libby, Sarah, Michael, and James - I don’t know how I would have made it through the past two years. They are my second family.

My Parents: Faith

Both of my parents have greatly impacted my faith. A lot of times I struggle with what I believe, but they have both helped me get to a comfortable state of mind.

I'm not a huge fan of going to Church...reasons include not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, not wanting to get out of my pjs and dress up, being too tired, not getting anything from mass, etc. The list goes on and on. My mom always makes me go to mass though. She says to offer to up to God. When I think about it, it makes sense. I'm spending one hour a week to thank someone who gave me an entire life. That's really nothing in comparison. My mom has helped me stay focused in life, whether it's school, volleyball, or my faith. She helped me understand that you get out what you put in.

My dad, on the other hand, has encouraged me to explore my beliefs. When I lived with my dad, a majority of our conversations revolved around religion and what we believed. We would shoot around wild ideas and theories, and this really helped me develop my beliefs and become closer to God. Because of my dad, I leaned to soul-search, thus deepening my faith.

Summer Slam: Patience

Every year, Divine Child's volleyball program hosts a volleyball camp for kids between third and ninth grade. The Varsity team is the counseling staff who runs the camp, so I have been running this camp for the past four years. The work is fairly easy with the younger girls; we teach them very basic things, but all they really want to do is run around, so it's more like babysitting than running an actual skills camp. The older girls require a bit more effort as they are more familiar with the sport and are able to actually have some self-control when it comes to their body movements. Honestly, it can be very frustrating running this camp, but at the end of camp when the little girls come up and hug you and tell you how much they loved the camp, it's totally worth it. It has taught me to be patient - to take a deep breath and not get annoyed when someone either can't or doesn't know how to do something, and that has helped me out on the court as well. After running this camp, I felt myself change; I wouldn't snap right away if someone would make a mistake, I would reassure them and encourage them to do better.

The Divorce

In 1997, when I was two years old, my parents got divorced. I didn't understand what was happening or what it meant; all I knew was that my dad was moving out for good. Growing up in a divorced family was tough - always moving around, different rules, constant fights. It meant that I had to grow up a lot faster than most "normal" children. It also meant that I was going to have to be more mature.

I learned to be reasonable and sensible.
I leaned to be strong, emotionally and mentally.
I learned to fight for what I wanted, but that there was a time for compromise as well.
I learned to forgive, but never forget.
I learned to make my own fun and not depend on others.
I learned to become wittier, even smarter.
I learned to be optimistic.
I learned to be a problem solver.
I learned that if you didn't have bad days, then you would never be able to appreciate the good ones.
I learned to take each day one at a time; else you'll become too overwhelmed.
I learned that's some things are out of your control, so you just have to let it go and trust that God will take care of you.
I learned that worrying will give you stomach aches, so you should just plan accordingly instead.
I learned to not take things (or myself) too seriously.
I learned to find the good in what some people would call "bad" situations.

As hard as growing up in a divorced family has been, I learned to appreciate it. It has taught me so much, and made me who I am today. I may not have had the "typical" or "normal" childhood, but it was normal to me. The divorce shaped me as a person, and is continuing to do so everyday.

Breast Cancer: Grateful

Last year marked the third annual Breast Cancer Awareness game for DC volleyball. It was a really great experience. All proceeds (including ticket sales, ribbons, and anything else) were donated for breast cancer research. Helping out charities always makes me feel good, but this event has definitely struck a chord. Last year,  Christina Porada's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily it was caught early, and the cancer is managable, but it's still very scary. Everyone loves the Porada family, so seeing them have to deal with something so difficult was very humbling. It made me realize that you never know what life is going to throw at you, so you can't take anything for granted. I love that the volleyball team has implemented this new tradition because it's a very important cause. I can't wait to come back in subsequent years and see how strong the fundraiser will be then.