Seek and You Will Find: 5 Things Making Me Happy

In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus proclaims “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." If only it were that easy—says the cynic in me. But far be it from me to argue with Christ the Teacher. 

In my last post I wrote about 5 Things that made me happy from the 2023 Masters. I could have written 25. I have wondered if I should author my own 5 ways that sports and spirituality make me happy. However, I wasn't sure I could list or name five on a regular basis. Well, there's something to those words: seek and find. The master teacher had it right. Here are five from my spring break. 

1. More, more, more!
Travis Kelce the two time Super Bowl champion tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs  hosted Saturday Night Live (in early March) and killed it. Ever since he first played in the American Century Classic golf tourney in Tahoe—and I offered my friend money to play Black Jack next to him—I've been a fan. With his older brother Jason, center for the Philadelphia Eagles in the audience, #87 was a great host. 

The part that made me laugh is when he admitted he was nervous to give a monologue until he remembered, "I'm pretty good with words." He added "during games I give these super eloquent pump up speeches for my teammates." As he says, "please watch: here."

2. Don't Count Me Out
Maggie Eastland is the editor-in-chief of The Observer, the student run daily paper at the University of Notre Dame. In the latest issue of the alumni magazine she writes a piece on her Baraka Bouts debut (the female equivalent of Bengal Bouts) which offered new and unsuspecting insights into the virtues of boxing.

Women’s boxing strikes a balance between competition and collaboration, personal growth and charity.

She went so far as to connect it to her major. Curran finds the similarities between the ring and her finance major striking. She’s not a violent person, “yet people see the fire that I have for academics,” she says. “Finance is inherently risky. . . .  I like to think I am a person who is very much willing to take risks.”

She writes "For me, junior captain Nicole Lies captured the bouts’ spirit. “It’s about so much more than just boxing. It brings such empowerment, not only to people in it, but also through the mission of education,” she told me. “People have said it’s the most Notre Dame thing you can do, and I think that’s so true.”

I have to say, I agree. I'm so happy it's open to men and women—a range of weight classes, encouraged and accepted. I wonder if she tells herself what Kelce tells his teammates....

3. Wall of Clocks
During spring break, I took my mom to Carmel-by-the-Sea for the day. We had dinner and drinks at the Inn at Spanish Bay by the fireside pits (HIGHLY recommend this space). In the lobby, I noticed a wall of clocks telling the time of various golf destinations around the world: St. Andrew's, Augusta National, and of course Pebble Beach, California.

Tine is so valuable. Time is precious. A clock keeps time and tells time—the same minute, but a different hour in a different part of the world. Based on the world clock, I could see that no one would be on the Old Course for but a few hours...

I regret not taking a photo of this wall. Next time! Pun intended. 

4. How Great Thou Art
I have already made the argument for an American cannon of literature. In order to gain a stronger sense of what it means to be an American, I believe elementary, middle and high school students should have a "shared reading experience." This cannon includes but a few great works of American literature; it can change over time. We can agree and disagree on what is and should be in this cannon. But let's share something....anything! I feel this way about poetry and music, t00. How I wish we al knew but a few folk songs and dare I say it—spirituals.

One of the songs I would include in that cannon is "How Great Thou Art." This song does not resonate with me personally. I would be lying if I told you it moves me spiritually. But on Easter Sunday Mass, I must admit it was very powerful to hear the entire congregation gathered in song. 

This realization prompted me to play this spiritual in class. I said to my sophomores, "if we're going to do this, it might as well be sung by one of America's greats: Elvis Presley."

5. PBJ con cariño
My friend Jimmy and I now have an unfolding story about the significance of a sandwich—a PBJ no less. Low and behold, he packed one for me and offered to do the same for the others in our foursome. It was made with cariño—loving care. How do I know this? For one, sandwiches made with this secret sauce always taste better. Second, it was wrapped in this awesome packaging. The little things really do make life better....or in the case of the PBJ, savory and sweet.

What are 5 that made you happy this week? Seek and ye will find....

Photo Credits
How Great Thou Art
Wall of Clocks
Inn at Spanish
Travis and Pat
Boxer