Sept. 5, 2001

Stony Brook, N.Y. - An Unforgettable Glimpse

I sat staring at the top bunk on our first night, waiting for Mr. Sandman to come. My body was racked with exhaustion after being up for 36 hours and just winning the hostel ping-pong title. For a few moments, I couldn't believe it. I was amazed to think that we had just flown all night and were now in Holland for our European tour. Before falling asleep, I wondered what the next 10 days had in store for us. As it turned out, I could have never imagined how incredible it would be.

We did so much in those 10 days. We cheered on the home team and danced through a riot, we toured beautiful cities with their breathtaking cathedrals and cobblestone streets, we visited quaint little villages and tasted food that didn't look so good, we practiced and played hard, we stayed up late talking... and sometimes giggling, we spent time together at the table, on the sideline and walking to practice, we walked and walked and we walked some more, we spoke and were not understood, we spoke and we were understood and at times . . . we got lost and had to find our way.

And isn't that like so many times in our life when we feel lost and it takes some time to find our way. Prior to our trip, the summer had not been a good one for me, my soul troubled with personal and career choices that are often daunting and without clear answers. In the 10 days that I walked through the streets of Europe, those issues seemed to wash away, dwarfed by the magnificence of my surroundings and the precious moments that we were spending together.

Silly, I thought, to have made those problems seem so important. It was then that I began to feel better, my thoughts had become clearer. I felt like I had peeked behind the curtain to see what was hidden behind it. I developed a deep sense of appreciation for the world and began to soak it all in -- its language, its food and its culture. I admired all that was around me and on one gorgeous afternoon on the streets of Mainz, I walked alone for a while taking in all the faces around me. It didn't take long to notice that for all of our differences, we are mostly the same. We hurry to work, we get stuck in traffic, we talk about the same issues and care about the same things. But more importantly, we all love.

Yes, we love. We love our family, our friends, our sport and our towns. We are proud of who we are, where we live and where we have come from. We are rich in history and rich in spirit. These are common bonds between people no matter what language we speak or country we reside in. These are the threads of humanity that are to be cherished and shared. For across every ocean and every border, I imagine these feelings hold true. It didn't matter that I couldn't understand a word my German friend was saying - in the way that he said it, I understood what he meant.

I don't know if the team recognized this, but I know they felt it in some way. They, too, were moved by what was most important. Each night, they would line up by the phone, hoping for a chance to call home before curfew and talk to their loved ones - if only for a few minutes. There were many times I would notice the look of disappointment when they would only get an answering machine or nobody was home.

Watching them made me think about the most important people in my life - my family, my job, my friends - and the greater love I hope for. Sometimes that gets lost in the shuffle, clouded by the life's insignificant detours and trivial obstacles. For the longest time, I had forgotten about how important it is to love. To love what you do and who you are. To open your heart and let others in. To open your eyes so you can see. To open your mind so you can think. To let you guard down and make yourself vulnerable --- so you can truly feel.

During our many walks, I was often trapped in deep thought and would fall silent. It was at these times that coach would stop me and ask if I was having a good time. I would catch myself as I tried to explain how a trip like this has a way or reaching inside your soul and moving you. More often than I not, I could not find the words to say - words just didn't seem enough. Only a smile would creep across my face and I could see that she knew . . . somewhere in Europe, I had found my smile and found love again too.

As we head into September, the days grow shorter and the schedule gets busier. The bite of the summer's heat has begun to fade and slowly we will grow farther away from our trip. But no matter how much distance we put between it, I know that somewhere it will always be fresh in our minds. Just a few days ago, I picked up my pictures from our ten-day adventure. Over 300 snapshots of people, cathedrals and castles, the hostel where we stayed, the places we travelled, the bus we rode on and the team that did this together. Three-hundred photos that can instantly transport us back to the streets of Holland or the little shops in Germany. Twenty-seven people spent 10 days in Europe together. We came back better people, a better team and with a better understanding. Isn't that what college, and in part, what life is all about?

My thoughts drift overseas as I come to my final words. It is late there now. I wonder who our friend Frank is lying to, if Alexander is solving his latest case, who might be staying at our hostel, and if the internet cafe is bustling in the cozy town of Worms. I wish all of are Dutch and German friends a good night and would like to thank them for what they have done for us and for me personally. Thank you for showing us a little of who you are, what your country is about and what you have to offer. Our 10 days with you will always be more than a postcard in our memories, they are moments that will last forever. And thanks for an unforgettable glimpse . . . an unforgettable glimpse of how wonderful the world is and how fortunate we are to be alive in it.

Those ten days were poured from the hands of angels and to them I say thanks . . . thank you for helping me find my way.

Rob Emmerich, Jr.