I had been watching the Montreal Canadiens all spring as they had a pretty good run, winning two playoff rounds in 7 games each. Because hockey is a tough game at the best of times, it is very gruelling to play two consecutive, long series. In fact, to win the ultimate prize could take 4 series. This is why the Stanley Cup is generally considered to be the hardest championship to win. By hardest, I mean, physically.
While this post is not about that, it helps to set the stage for the rest of this post.
In each home game the Canadiens had a vaunted player from the past, bring out the torch before the initial puck drop. The selected player would walk into the arena with torch, and then he would lift it high. At that moment, all the video screens as well as the ice surface would also burst into flames.
Like this ↓ . (It only takes a minute.)
The man in the video was Claude Lemieux, and he had the honour of carrying the torch on Monday night. Then, on Thursday, around noon, a message popped up on my screen that he was dead. Three days after the honour of carrying the torch, he was gone. What a shock in this weird world for a championship athlete to expire so suddenly and at such a young age. Here I am, anything but a good athlete, hanging on at 78, aches and pains included.
Such is the randomness of life and why we must cherish the days as best we can even though there are some days that we are happy to see the back of. Bad days are a part of life, so we try to make the next day a little bit better, or the day after that. Sometimes, we might even raise our own little metaphorical torches because, somehow, we have made it through another day, which is usually highly preferrable to the alternative
Background
The Montreal Canadiens have long had the line from Flanders Fields emblazoned in their dressing word wall in big letters: "To you from failing hands we throw/The torch; be yours to hold it high." Often, on special occasions, the team will employ a torch in their ceremonies.
The pictures on the wall are former Montreal players who have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. There are quite a few there to keep the present players humble but inspired.
PS: It was later learned that Claude had taken his own life, which must even increase the sadness of the family. Even later than that, the family also posted this.
I've never followed hockey (since playing field hockey in school days!) and agree that it's certainly a grueling sport. To have a star fall who had endured so much for his triumphs is indeed a great sorrow. I have certainty that his suicide wasn't from a sense of cowardice, but for him it was the next battle to win. And perhaps for his team, his loved ones, to not go through a long suffering to what might be deemed a loss at dying. Life is always seen as winning against dying. Yes, we do indeed fight for life as sickness and injuries come. But there will be the inevitable letting go when we do finally die. I'm sorry for the grieving family and fans who are missing this athletic leader.
That is incredibly sad. I wonder if the full story behind his suicide will ever be revealed. Suicide leaves an indelible mark on everyone left behind.
ReplyDeleteI've never followed hockey (since playing field hockey in school days!) and agree that it's certainly a grueling sport. To have a star fall who had endured so much for his triumphs is indeed a great sorrow. I have certainty that his suicide wasn't from a sense of cowardice, but for him it was the next battle to win. And perhaps for his team, his loved ones, to not go through a long suffering to what might be deemed a loss at dying. Life is always seen as winning against dying. Yes, we do indeed fight for life as sickness and injuries come. But there will be the inevitable letting go when we do finally die. I'm sorry for the grieving family and fans who are missing this athletic leader.
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