Triumph and Tragedy
I have learned over the years that triumph and tragedy have nothing to do with competition.
“March Madness” is blaring from the television in our kitchen as I write this in the quiet of my library down the hall. It seems to me that “madness” is an apt descriptor of the “Road to the Final Four.” So few make it there, yet it is the largest TV draw of the year. For me, the triumphs and tragedies lie not in the game but in the stories of each player. They are stories of the Heart.
We often learn history through the record of tragedies: natural disasters, murders, wars, domestic abuse, poverty, hunger, suicide, airline accidents, refugee camps, …violence of any kind. There is no dearth of tragedy in our world. You have probably noticed.
Triumph is mentioned most frequently these days on the victory stand, on Twitter, and in press releases. These triumphs are often about as shallow and as short-lived as the next commercial. How many wars--on the battlefield, on the court or playing field, or in the classroom--ultimately lead to other wars, personal fouls, or reciprocal bullying?
Yet there is a persistent connection between Tragedy and Triumph of the Heart. We sometimes call these “human interest stories,” and they often come at the end of a program. We yearn for them and will endure all the ads to hear one hopeful story. The person who heroically and sometimes anonymously helps those in need in a tragedy, be it personal or global. The individual who overcomes huge obstacles and odds. These stories are not all fairy tales. These true stories are woven into the fabric of myth, our universal stories of what it is to be human.
A national championship is a big deal, of course. I take nothing away from those who work and play hard at anything important to them. I personally have found more meaning in the work—and play—along the way. I remember some times in my life when I wrote “Get up” on my calendar so I could check off something as accomplished. “Brush my teeth” is a good one too. It is amazing how little, daily things can build momentum.
Later in the day, I might hold someone’s hand, listen without judgement, or run an errand for a friend. Meaning compounds quickly when others benefit from our actions.
When was the last time you said “Thank you” to someone or someone thanked you? When was the last time you thanked yourself or some unseen power for something big or small?
Gratitude is a gateway to Triumphs of the Heart. They can arise out of tragedy or the simple, daily things of life. That is why I keep a Gratitude Journal at the end of every day. I do the dishes, snuggle with my smooch pooch, brush my teeth, and give thanks in writing. The things I am grateful for, even in tough times, are what I take into Dreamtime.
March 24, 2019
These remarks were made for the presentation of an award for the Best Project on Women in History at History Day in Burlington, Vermont for middle and high school students statewide on April 6, 2019. The Program was sponsored by The Vermont Historical Society. I give the award each year in memory of my mother, Helen Vrooman Passmore.