WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN LIFE

I'm pretty passionate about high school swimming. I have a daughter who's pretty good, and she's fortunate enough to be part of a program that has established a tradition of excellence that is envied by many other programs across Indiana. But it's just swimming, and here's why.

My son is a cadet at Culver Military Academy in northern Indiana. During their chapel service last Sunday, everyone in the congregation was asked to help with a Make A Wish project for a total stranger. His name is Noah, he is five years old, and he has brain cancer. His prognosis is not good--Noah's doctors don't think he'll live to see Christmas 2009. So Noah's family plans to celebrate Christmas early this year. Which brings me to his wish.

Noah could have asked for a fancy trip to a tourist attraction, or to meet some famous athlete. But he didn't--all Noah wants is to receive as many Christmas cards as possible. The Culver students were asked to make Noah a card, or write him a note. My son and many of his classmates did just that.

When my son told me about Noah and his plight, I was moved to tears. I wanted to make Noah a card of my own, and to donate money to his family for use as they see fit. That was just two days ago. I found out today that Noah's health is fading fast, and that his family is asking people not to send any more Christmas cards so they can focus their energies on him in his final days.

So I'll do what I can from here on out. I'll say an extra little prayer for Noah every time I think of him (which has been often over the last 48 hours). I'll make a donation to the American Cancer Society in the hopes of eliminating such an evil disease from the face of the earth. And I hope to march in Culver's Relay for Life event next spring to honor Noah, my own relatives who have died of cancer, and anyone else impacted by it.

What does all of this have to do with high school swimming? Nothing directly. But the next time you're at a meet, and it seems like your son or daughter's split time isn't fast enough, or you're unhappy with the final score, just remember life's REAL final score. And what our priorities should really be about. I know I will.