Honor Your Team With Your Effort. Those were the six simple words former UA head coach Frank Busch hammered into our minds when we were trudging through self pity halfway through the season. Or when we were atop a block making a sight between our hands as we reeled in a swimmer on our relay. Or when we decided to handle a bad swim with grace, because we were representing more than ourselves.
This mantra made big things happen on my college team, but what I did not know in college was how deeply those words would take root in every person on that team and how applicable the motto is in life.
Recently, one of my college teammates bravely told the world on Facebook she had just spent 10 days in the hospital because she feared she might hurt herself. She did not share this for pity, but for those millions upon millions of people out there who have had the thought of throwing away the beautiful gift of life. Because sometimes vision is clouded by depression and nothing in the day looks beautiful. Especially not yourself. My friend sought help, and encourages others to do the same.
My brave friend also happens to be one of the brightest people I’ll ever know. Her name is Justine Schluntz. I swam with Justine all four years and was among those people not particularly surprised when she was named a Rhodes Scholar in 2010. Oh, and then she was dubbed NCAA Woman of the Year, and was awarded the Robie Medal at UA commencement- given to a student who exhibits “promise for the future.” She was a 5-time NCAA relay champion and a 16-time All-American as a Wildcat swimmer. She was athlete valedictorian, graduating summa cum laude with a master’s in mechanical engineering. Justine was now and forever labeled by her accomplishments.
She achieved her doctorate while in Oxford, and recently took a break. Take a break? Justine? No, she doesn’t know how to take a break.
The expectations on her shoulders must make it hard to stand at times. With so many accolades, people are expectant and antsy for the next one. Wow! That’s impressive, so how are you going to level up from there?
And this is what makes her public vulnerability so powerful to me and a lot of others, gauging from the response on Facebook. There are no super humans. When we see someone with so much going for them, news that they have been suicidal is jarring. But the things that make them seem less likely to fall into a pit of depression are the very things that can be their quicksand.
The love that’s been outpoured upon my friend online is enough to bring you to tears and make you wish every person feeling this way could be so brave. A lot of people love my friend. She said she had not forgotten she was loved. We did not fail in reminding her. She just felt undeserving of such love. With every inquisitive person “What’s next, Justine?” she felt more like a disappointment, like a fraud, like a person not meeting the world’s expectations and not deserving love.
Oh yeah, so how does honoring your team play into this?
I believe my dear friend knows at this moment how much her teammates (in college and in life) love her and that she should not deny that love. And she will continue to be reminded as we all seek to honor her with our efforts during each step of her recovery. I hope to honor her not just by reminding her she is worthy of love, but by telling everyone in my life (even those who seem honky dory) that they are loved, not because of anything they’ve done. Just because they are.
It scares me to think of the world without my friend in it. I’m thankful for the lessons she continues to teach me. We did not always like each other. We’re both opinionated and had our fights. But my wonderful friend, I’ve always loved you. With or without the worldly achievements.
