I still don't have any organized thoughts that I can put together in honor of Coach. It is going to take a while. At least for few days I will have nothing more than stream of consciousness when it comes to honoring and remembering the Greatest Bruin of all time (no one is close).
For this Saturday wanted to give you heads up some simple housekeeping notes so that we can all share all of our powerful memories, emotions and thoughts as much as possible. I know I personally can't get enough of the comments, thoughts, reflections pouring in from all over the country. It is giving me strength inside and I am guessing I am not the only one. So here it goes:
- We created a new section on BN entitled what else, "Coach." We are putting all of our posts from last 72 hrs and all of our posts on Coach from here on in that section. We have also put some of our previous posts celebrating in Coach in that section. But if there are any posts on BN we didn't include in that section, but should be included in it, just throw up the link in our comment threads, or email to us. It is just our way of archiving a little history that makes up the very fabric of our collective Blue and Gold souls.
- If you are putting up any fanposts or fanshots please consider using the tags "intergalactic treasure" and "Coach in our Bruin hearts." This way all of our posts all over this community will tied together in one thread.
- Yes, our blog looks colorless in black and white. It is not your laptop or desktop. This is just an extremely small gesture on our behalf in honoring Coach. We will keep our blog that way for next 30 days. It will be simple: black and white just like those classic Coach images we have all taken in as Bruins over the years.
- We will have a baseball game thread tonight (6 pm PST). Life as Bruins do have to go on and our Coach would want it that way. So while we will keep posting away on Coach for days, we will take note of games involving our student-athletes as much as we can. It will take a while to get back to our usual rhythm, posting, sharing every Bruin related notes (so if you can please cheap in via fanposts, fanshots on any sports related notes we might not have taken note of on home page).
Going back to Coach, before I went to sleep last night and after I woke up this morning, I read a particular section from one of Steve Jamison many books on Coach: "Wooden: A Lifetime Of Observations And Reflections On And Off The Court." I have number of books on Coach but is the one I always keep close perhaps because of his simplicity or perhaps it came as a present with signature of Coach.
The section is entitled: "Losing Nelli: Peace Of Mind" from pages 44-47. Normally we don't share more than 6-9 paragraphs from a particular article or book. I hope this will be ok with Mr. Jamison. So here it goes from Coach's own Words (1997 edition):
When Socrates was in prison facing imminent and unjust death, his jailers, some of the cruelest men in the land, mocked him and asked, "Why do you not prepare yourself for death?"
He looked at the jailers and replied, "I have prepared for death all of my life by the life I lived." Socrates was at peace with himself. My own faith gave me more peace with myself.
The most difficult thing I've ever experienced was losing Nellie thirteen years ago. We were sweethearts for almost sixty years and married for fifty-three years.
Certain things happen, and you must have faith that there is a reason for them. My faith and family sustained me.
And now, like Socrates, I have no fear for death. When it comes I can be with her again.
I appreciate this poem, "Lucy," by William Wordsworth:
She dwelt among the untrodden ways
Besides the springs of Dove.
A maid of whom there were none to please,
And very few to love.
A violet by a mossy stone,
Half hidden from the eye,
Fair as a star when only one
Was shining in the sky.
She lived unknown, and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be.
But she is in her grave,
And, oh, the difference to me.
- William Wardsorth
Death is something that holds no fear for me any longer. I'm at peace.
God's Hall of Fame
This crowd on earth
They soon forget
The heroes of the past
They cheer like mad
Until you fall
And that's how long you last.
But God does not forget
And in his Hall of Fame
By just believing in his Son
Inscribed you'll find your name.
I tell you, friends,
I would not trade
My name however small
Inscribed up there
Beyond the stars
In that celestial Hall.
For any famous name on earth
Or glory that they share
I'd rather be an unknown here
And have my name up there.
- Unknown
Well this where I have to say sorry Coach. Our intergalactic treasure will never be an "unknown" in this little corner (however small that may be).We know you are on walking on to where you always belong -in that "Celestial Hall" walking along with Nell but you will never be an "unknown" here.
I am also one of those who always have music and songs going through my head when times are difficult and I can't come up with too many words to thread all the emotions in a coherent manner. There have been few going through my head last couple of days. I will leave you all with this:
Walk on Coach. We know you are finally going home where your heart always belonged.
GO BRUINS.