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The Intricacies of Success

I went to my first Jays game of the season last week. I love going as it reminds me of my Dad and how he and I used to spend time together listening to games on the radio years ago. When the Jays first came to Toronto, Dad taught me how to score games. He would lend me his pad of graph paper, and I would draw out the score sheets and follow along with the radio broadcasters. This early tie instilled a love for the team. Despite the fact that after the early 90s there have been many seasons with poor pitching, quiet bats and  stronger competition, my passion for the Jays and the game remains.

The latest successes of the Jays seem to have enticed people to their bandwagon- many people jumping on as our team sits atop of the American League East, and as I talked with my brother about it yesterday, I began thinking about the notion of success and how it makes people feel. Success is an exciting thing- whether it is a small achievement or a significant one, it fosters a sense of accomplishment and a sense of pride. Occasionally there is recognition tied to the success. However, what success can also do is overshadow all of the ups and downs that were necessary to get to the final feat- we forget the slips, stumbles and falls that have made us stronger along the way. While this is easily understandable, I am not sure that it is always a good thing. So much of the toiling and stretching, readjusting and resilience is really what success is about.

As we prepare to say goodbye to our Graduates of 2014 who, in less than two weeks, will be crossing the stage at Massey Hall to be acknowledged as having completed their time at St. Clement’s, I can’t help thinking that while we will be celebrating their successes, we are celebrating their struggles too. For without the struggles, these intellectually curious, courageous and compassionate girls would not have developed into outstanding women.

Success and accomplishment feels great- but let’s not forget what it often takes to achieve it.

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