Embracing it All: Shaping our Lives through this journey called Life.

”The story of this team is yet to be told. No great accomplishments are ever achieved without going through adversity. That’s just the truth. And so we’ve gone through our share of adversity. That’s life. I told those guys that. We’re not focused on what’s coming down the road, we’re not focused on what’s happened in the past. We’re focused on right now, and being right where we are. And at the end, we want to be able to tell the story of this team." Ryan Day

It’s no secret that I am a die-hard Buckeye fan and so, as you can imagine, watching them play their way to victory last night and earn a spot in the National Championship made for a phenomenal start to the weekend!

While the game was incredible, what truly moved me was the post-game press conference with Coach Day, Will Howard, and Jack Sawyer. They were clearly elated with the outcome of the match, but what stood out more was the deep connection this team shares, their strong faith in God, and the heartfelt acknowledgment that success often arises from adversity. It was evident that this victory wouldn't distract them from their true understanding that life cannot be lived in past stories or future plans. Instead, life is about embracing the present moment and staying grounded in it. Yes, the opportunity of the National Championship is significant, but as each of these men spoke, it was clear they were living in the moment and recognizing that the real gift of this victory was it guaratneed them ten more days together!

Every day, we have the opportunity to be the sole author of our story, crafting each chapter ourselves. Each experience becomes uniquely ours, with the understanding that only we can truly grasp the significance of each moment. Although the world around us often feels entitled to comment on our actions, focusing on perceived failures and suggesting what we should have done differently, we must strive to resist this. If we let it, viewing challenges through a lens of failure will consume us and distract us from life itself. Instead, by embracing our circumstances and using them to move forward, we discover that we become much stronger, achieving rewards greater than we could have ever imagined.

The question then arises: how can you tell if you're heading in the right direction or not? You can't! But that's the beauty of the journey, as Ryan Day succinctly put it. He stated, “We’re not focused on what’s coming down the road, we’re not focused on what’s happened in the past. We’re focused on right now, and being right where we are.” Am I, along with millions of other Buckeyes, eagerly looking forward to January 20th and hoping they become champions? Absolutely!!! However, hoping and dreaming about that possibility today won't change anything … except to rob me of today's gifts.

What actions would you take today if this day was all you had? What decisions would you make, understanding that the past is gone and the future's effects are still unknown? Here’s to YOUR story. Embrace it, trusting that the final chapter has yet to be written because it’s waiting for you to live it!