and received 5 offers. He decided on Ball State, and we decided we needed an RV to watch his games with his very young brothers at the time, to tailgate and give him a reprieve after the games, to sit at a campfire and decompress.
Ball State games were awesome. The RVs lined the street the football players marched in on, along with the band and the cheerleaders. I was so proud
and loved that moment to give him a quick hug or a wave. He knew we were there. His little brothers took to the attention of the cheerleaders and felt part of the festivities. It was magical. It was collegiate.
I will never forget Garrett getting to our campsite after a game one night following a long week of training and sharing with me, he had gotten a tattoo. He was apprehensive about how
I would react. Around a campfire, he quickly flashed the words inked on his chest to me and I immediately cried. He chose my favorite poem; one I had shared with him a million times and didn’t even know he was listening to:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Marriane Williamson.
To tattoo that on his chest meant he got it. This was permanent.
Garrett’s football career at Ball State was short lived. As a mother, I was thankful for that. He left without any major injuries and decided he wanted to experience college in a different way while not being so bound to the constraints of a scholarship and transferred to Madison, Wisconsin. A decision I fully supported.
The poem tattooed on his chest will always be a bond. One Christmas, I was struggling with issues he didn’t even know about. As a present for me, he had painted a candle and, on the back, wrote “Our Deepest fear is not we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us…. let your light shine, mom”. Again, I cried and shared with him how perfectly timed and meaningful this was to me. This piece of art is hanging in my bathroom, and I read it every day. It inspires me to live my life’s purpose and be the light. Even when it scares me. I have no doubt, being powerful beyond measure scared him, at times. The children will lead the way…