Write Again … A family affair

Published 5:33 pm Sunday, April 26, 2020

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There are times when I worry that I write too often about family. That I am too family centered, too me-centered, is a concern I have.

Well, now. That’s hardly the best segue into today’s column. And yet, the following is exactly that which I hope is truly worth sharing.

So. Here are the remarks our granddaughter Emily, a sophomore, delivered in honor of her sister, at the final home basketball game, a tradition which is observed each year at Darien (Connecticut) High School in tribute to seniors on the team:

“Dear Lindsay,

“Throughout my whole life, I have looked up to you in many more ways than one. I have grown a bigger love for the sport having my sister there to help me and cheer me up when I need it, which is a majority of the time spent in this gym.

“Not only have you been a role model to me, but you have been the greatest teammate, friend, and captain. This season specifically I have seen you grow so much as a player and as a person, with an intense love for the sport and caring for your teammates.

“I can always count on our post-practice car rides to lift my mood after a hard day or hard practice. You have such a positive and uplifting personality which not every team is fortunate to have. A captain like you is what every team deserves but does not always get: someone who puts their best foot forward and leads the team to success, while also being there for her teammates when they need it.

“I could not be luckier to share the experience of playing basketball with you. My whole life I have been used to watching your games and it is for sure going to be weird when you’re gone next year.

“If I think about it for too long, I will get very upset because I am not ready to see my best friend go. Many of you do not get to see Lindsay off the court, unfortunately, but she is the epitome of someone who does not have a mean bone in her body. Except when it comes to me of course.

“To say I will miss you like crazy next year would be the biggest understatement I have ever told. It is the little things I will miss, like dropping our bags off in the locker room, and the laughs we share over nothing.

“Thank you for being the best always and for playing such a positive role in my life. Not only is a good captain rare to find, but so is a good sister.

“Love you, Linz.

Emily”