Guest Thank You Note: For Second Chances

Emily and I go way back. At the beginning of first grade, my family’s new house in a new school district was still being built, so every morning, my mom dropped me off at Emily’s house to catch the bus.

My mind can capture snippets of images from that time — sitting at the Allwein’s kitchen table while Emily finished breakfast, her warm and welcoming mom taking time to talk to me, her little sister beginning to learn the violin using an intriguing method they called “Suzuki,” standing at the bus stop with my red, white and blue briefcase-style bookbag.

As our childhoods flew by, Emily and I remained in the same schools but our paths diverged. As an adult, I heard snippets about her life, including a little something about when she wasn’t doing so well.

Emily and I recently reconnected through Facebook, and I got the chance to be witness to the  poignant and powerful way she handled the final months of her mother’s life. She is no doubt testimony to what we can do — who we can be — with second chances.

A Thank You Note From Emily Allwein Young

I think the one thing that is first on my list of being thankful for, is that God decided it wasn’t my time to go and gave me a chance to get my life back. There are many more things I’m thankful for … but if I wasn’t granted my life, all the other things wouldn’t have happened.

……….

Coach’s Query

Would you like a second chance with something or someone? What would you do with that second chance?

I invite you to share your thoughts and your own thank you note in this space.