Career Development

A Mother’s Thoughts on Her Daughter’s Last Track Meet

To Molly, from Your Mom by Julie Walton, Ph.D.
Calvin College

To throw, to run, to jump, to fly; it is all about gratefully accepting who we are as finite, embodied human beings, and finding delight in the movement, the grace and the freedom of leaving the earth even for a millisecond. For God walks and plays with us in the garden of Delight, and when we in turn allow our sport to be our play, God finds delight in us. It is a beautiful and mutual arrangement between Creator and creature. Next time you race the hurdles, wind in your face, legs leaping, arms pumping, remember that God hurdles right alongside, with glee, and joy, and delight. And Christ stands at the finish with a smiling, “Well done.” And so, as your college Heptathlon career and your college days all wind down, and you head off to graduate school, your mom simply wants to congratulate you on a job well done, on faith that rested in peace on the unshakeable foundation of God’s love, and to thank you for being a daughter that fills my heart with grateful joy every day, every breath.  Life’s hurdles are by no means over, but I have faith and confidence that you will never face them alone.  As I have up until this very day, I will continue to pray, truly, that the wind be always at your back.  Congratulations and blessings,
Love,
Mom