Turn Around and You Have Grown....

Last week I had an opportunity to take a good look at the end results of some of the work we have done at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel with young people. I had a chance to attend our Athletic Association's Opening Day ceremonies for both the clinic (under six) group and, a few days later, the older students. As some of you may know Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is known as "soccer country" and children begin to learn the game almost as soon as they can walk! The Athletic Association is an organization of our parish which gives kids a chance to learn the game and play in age groups against teams from other parishes all over the Archdiocese. The group is energized by the volunteer efforts of hundreds of parents and others in the community who give untold hours of time coaching, selling consessions and cheering for these little athletes.
Last week I attended the Clinic Opening Ceremonies so that I could see my grandson, who is five, begin his season. I must say that the concept of soccer is still a little foreign to him--"Why won't that orange team share with us?" " Where do I run to score a goal?" "Why can't we run past the cones?" he asks. These questions come up on a regular basis as we try to explain the differences between sharing vs. competing and rules vs. free play! The process of learning how to play on a team is a long one and we are just beginning.
While at the game last week, one of my jobs was to keep an eye on my other grandson, who is fourteen months old, so that his mom could help coach. I spent lots of time on the playground making sure that mulch was not eaten and on the field making sure that no one toddled into the field of play! In the midst of this wonderful but exhausting activity, I looked up and saw the bleachers full of parents, grandparents and friends. That is when the song "Turn Around" flew into my head and I began to think about accomplishments.
Rarely does a person talk about Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School or parish without using the word "family" within the first three sentences uttered. We are a community that values family. We are a community whose members treat one another as family. And, we are a community which instills that value in our young people. That value results in spending time with one another, respecting one another, supporting one another's interests, and affirming the contribution we each can make to better our individual families and the Mt. Carmel family. When I looked over at the bleachers last week, I was thrilled to see so many of our former students with their young children. They were cheering for them, coaching them, and teaching them. Right next to those young parents, stood the grandparents--those parents with whom I worked years before when their children (now the parents) were young.
Two notions crossed my mind at that moment. I was so proud of those young parents for choosing to be involved with their children in our community. I could see the love they had for those little ones and sense the sacrifices they are willing to make for them. I recognized that these parents were already setting an example of leadership and service for their children as they supported the soccer program. These are some of the values we taught them so many years ago in our school and in our parish. Faith and family go together and form the foundation for everything else. Service and leadership are the concrete ways we express our faith. I was so happy to see these grown-up former students and so proud of the parents they had become.
My second thought was more nostalgic. How could time have passed so quickly? How could these kids I knew have children of their own? That moment was a reminder to value all the minutes we have with our chldren. The words of that old ballad ring true--"Turn around and they are tiny, Turn 'round and they're grown, Turn round and they're young wives with babes of their own..." It is truly a gift to be able to see the wonderful parents my former students have become! I wonder how they got so old and I didn't??? Did I???