A Big White Envelope
by Gabe Tauro
Gold, blue, and green,
I dawn the colors of a seasoned ND veteran
As I enter the twilight of my career –
The apex, the pinnacle, the point of no return.
I look… and I see flags draped along my wall,
Unwavering… proud… dusted with memories.
Posters lovingly torn around the edges
Speak a story of passion and adventure.
It is in this room that I met my first love.
It is in this dorm that I met my best friend.
It is at this school that I met God.
It is at Notre Dame that I met myself.
All because of a letter…
A big white envelope…
That took me on a journey that I didn’t think I’d take…
A school that I never imagined attending…
A place so far out… in the middle of nowhere…
That my room is a plane, train, and car ride away.
How’d I get here?
Why’d I get here?
The answer is simple, really.
It was not by chance, or some pithy allusion to fate,
Not by some age-old family legacy.
I went with my gut.
Wow, an inspired response. Truly romantic.
Say what you will. Think what you want.
Notre Dame was where my heart told me to go.
So I followed,
And I listened…
And I worked…
And I acted…
And I sang…
And here I am.
Long hard nights, but smile-filled days;
Challenging material, but worthwhile knowledge;
Tired sprawls over a laptop keyboard, but stimulating conversations to be had afterward;
The bitter sting of not seeing my friends and family…
Yet I couldn’t be more grateful.
I’ve been blessed with an education that cares.
And people that make me better.
A school that I chose based on a feeling,
Turned out to be the best decision of my life.