Our current season of life, and our daily rituals, put us in the same place an awful lot of the time.
Our families attend mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church, and our children are enrolled at the same school. Additionally, we volunteer for the same nonprofits, share membership in mission-focused groups, and enjoy conversation whenever the schedules dictate time in passing. Never, in all these encounters, did I pick up on anything abnormal or unorthodox.
Consequently, it blew my mind when my wife told me about Rachel Mueller’s boating accident. It had been a few years ago, at this point, but I still remember the conversation. I pride myself on paying attention to the details of things; therefore, it seemed like a gross error on my part to have missed this intimate part of someone’s life. If I had considered myself a friend, it felt as though I was seriously missing the mark of my responsibility by not knowing something like that.
Having the ability to sit down with ordinary people and give them the space they need to share their stories has been such a unique gift. Time and time again I’m reminded of how inspiring the human race is, and I’m in awe of the strength one must have to be successful in life. These remarkable stories of people overcoming their hardships, provide hope and inspiration for others along their journey.
Rachel’s story is so much more than that boating accident in her adolescence. Given the space to share her story, Rachel spoke about a second accident that destroyed her pelvis. She elaborated on the strenuous recovery process, the lifelong implications of that accident, and her passion for motherhood and the blessings which came from it. But, she also shared her resentment attributable to the accidents, her struggles with keeping faith through those tribulations, and the pain she experienced with miscarriage. Rachel was honest and raw in telling her story, and through that authenticity, she has helped countless others who find themselves in similar situations.
Once again, I walk away from this episode a better human. By peering into the past and seeing how small a glimpse into Rachel’s life I had, the details she has since shared with me have drastically changed any previous perceptions. Because of Rachel’s powerful testimony, I now have a new appreciation for the strength and tenacity it takes to succeed in this thing we call: LIFE.
