Forty-six years ago today, our family gathered in the home of my then-husband and I and our children. Our purpose was two-fold: to celebrate the birthdays of my husband and his uncle born on the same day 50 years apart. AND to watch the USA/Canada Olympic Gold Metal men’s hockey game.

As with all good family gatherings, there was food, beverages, and a birthday cake to boot.

As with all good Irish Catholic families, there was also a priest and the celebration of a mass before the party began!

The perfect ending to our gathering that day was the “Miracle on Ice” USA Victory, eventually immortalized in an inspiring movie of the same name.

Today as I watched the US men’s hockey team reclaim the gold for the first time since that miraculous Sunday, I was filled with emotions and memories from forty-six years ago. And the realization of a whole new set of memories to cherish.

For while our family’s uncle has since passed, my then-husband and I are divorced, and and I watched the game on my own my children, grandchildren and I still cheered on our nation's team together in the way of the world today---via memes and messages shared in a group chat.
USA! USA!