Ravens' McClain a shining example

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. We learn more in defeat than in victory.  There is no question that being able to deal with adversity makes us all better people.  I’m in Syracuse and an Orange fan. Yet, I was surprised to find out that former Orange, Jameel McClain was the subject of an ESPN Radio interview that dealt with his going from being homeless to going undrafted to now being a starting linebacker on the best defense in the NFL, the 4-1 Baltimore Ravens.

I heard most of the interview and found McClain to be very well spoken and inspirational. He grew up in a rough area of Philadelphia and became the first person from his family to go to college. He was homeless for a year, but never gave up on his dream of going to college and taking football as far as it would take him. He claims that he knew he was headed to the NFL since the day he came out of his mother’s womb.

I feel like such a slacker and whiner. I’ll readily admit that I haven’t faced near the adversity that McClain has or many other people. And as someone in their mid forties, well late forties, OK OK 52 year old, I do struggle with difficult times, feeling sorry for myself. That I have it so rough.  I don’t.  I know that I am blessed.

As a parent, I know that I want my kids to have great lives. Smooth sailing. No problems. Not only is that not reality, I now realize that the difficulties that I want them to avoid, will end up benefitting them if handled properly. My daughter, Emily, is a senior in high school and preparing her college applications. She wrote her essay on how a bad event in her life ended up turning into a positive.

That event was her fourth concussion towards the end of the JV softball season when she was in 9^th grade. She was scheduled to be called up to varsity for the playoffs and then take over as catcher for the next three years.  That concussion ended her career 2 ½ years ago.

Her essay was terrific as she talked about learning to overcome the symptoms of the concussion that lasted a year and a half. How her junior year saw her get back on honor roll and earn induction into the National  Honor Society. That she realizes she can meet any challenge thrown her way in the future.  An amazing lesson that I learned as a parent. While I certainly am not hoping for tough times for my kids. I do realize that the bigger issue is how they are handled. And once they are, they can end up being a positive.