joannie rochette
i rarely seek out contact with anyone in a position of fame, but i have to admit to having tried to get to joannie rochette's web site to send an email of condolence to her. I know she will not respond, and i don't care, i just wanted to tell her some things. so, here is what i would write to her if her bandwidth was not all taken up.
Dear Joannie,
May g-d comfort you and provide you and your family with condolence and peace. There are no words to take away your pain, and I do not know you, or your family, but I want you to know that you are a role model for Canadians everywhere.
I think that as an athlete, you were always a great role model. That is not really the important part though. When the news about your mother passing away was reported, I think most people were hit with the enormity of the situation and could not imagine how or what you were going to do.
Your decision was to compete, and here is the interesting part. Regardless of whether other people thought they might have been able to do the same thing themselves, in the same situation, I think you have clearly shown us all the meaning of working through adversity.
When I heard reports all week about you coming to practice and not missing one- when I saw you skate flawlessly and then burst into tears, making it clear just how difficult that flawless skate must have been in such an emotional state-I was full of admiration for you. I plan on showing my children the video of last night and holding you up as an example of what grace under fire looks like. Even if you had come in dead last in the short programme, I would be holding you up as an example of what we can do even when things are difficult for us.
I would also have had respect for you had to chosen not to compete as well. I have complete respect for the team mate of the luger who withdrew. A person has to do what a person has to do- but that having been said, my admiration comes from your ability to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Even if you had come in dead last in the short programme, I would be holding you up as an example of what we can do even when things are difficult for us.
Another thing I wanted to share with you was a thought from Jewish Chassidic philosophy that was very comforting to us when my husband's father died. In Chassidic philosophy there is an idea that the spirits of our loved ones from the 3 generations before us are with us at every happy occasion we have. At my son's Bar Mitzvah, we took much comfort from the idea that my father in law was 'with' us, and that my grandmother, who had been very stressed about getting well to buy a new dress for the occasion was able to be with us and did not have to go shopping after all. I don't think there is a person on earth who could not think that your mother's soul was with you last night and will be there to cheer you on, forever.
I wish you all the very best- both in your skating and your personal life and hope that in future times, we have only happy reasons to support each other.
I read in a newspaper that many Canadian mothers who know about you right now are mothering you in their hearts and I can tell you for sure you have a mother here in Hamilton, Ontario. Good luck and much success in the rest of the Olympics- no matter how it comes out, i am proud of your accomplishments this week.
Andrea
Dear Joannie,
May g-d comfort you and provide you and your family with condolence and peace. There are no words to take away your pain, and I do not know you, or your family, but I want you to know that you are a role model for Canadians everywhere.
I think that as an athlete, you were always a great role model. That is not really the important part though. When the news about your mother passing away was reported, I think most people were hit with the enormity of the situation and could not imagine how or what you were going to do.
Your decision was to compete, and here is the interesting part. Regardless of whether other people thought they might have been able to do the same thing themselves, in the same situation, I think you have clearly shown us all the meaning of working through adversity.
When I heard reports all week about you coming to practice and not missing one- when I saw you skate flawlessly and then burst into tears, making it clear just how difficult that flawless skate must have been in such an emotional state-I was full of admiration for you. I plan on showing my children the video of last night and holding you up as an example of what grace under fire looks like. Even if you had come in dead last in the short programme, I would be holding you up as an example of what we can do even when things are difficult for us.
I would also have had respect for you had to chosen not to compete as well. I have complete respect for the team mate of the luger who withdrew. A person has to do what a person has to do- but that having been said, my admiration comes from your ability to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Even if you had come in dead last in the short programme, I would be holding you up as an example of what we can do even when things are difficult for us.
Another thing I wanted to share with you was a thought from Jewish Chassidic philosophy that was very comforting to us when my husband's father died. In Chassidic philosophy there is an idea that the spirits of our loved ones from the 3 generations before us are with us at every happy occasion we have. At my son's Bar Mitzvah, we took much comfort from the idea that my father in law was 'with' us, and that my grandmother, who had been very stressed about getting well to buy a new dress for the occasion was able to be with us and did not have to go shopping after all. I don't think there is a person on earth who could not think that your mother's soul was with you last night and will be there to cheer you on, forever.
I wish you all the very best- both in your skating and your personal life and hope that in future times, we have only happy reasons to support each other.
I read in a newspaper that many Canadian mothers who know about you right now are mothering you in their hearts and I can tell you for sure you have a mother here in Hamilton, Ontario. Good luck and much success in the rest of the Olympics- no matter how it comes out, i am proud of your accomplishments this week.
Andrea