December 3rd, 2020. Also known as X-Ring Day for almost everyone in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Today is the day many receive the coveted ‘ring’. The X-Ring is the only university ring that requires a degree to purchase. There is a big semi-secret ceremony that allows attendance by X-Ring recipients only. There are several speeches and inspiring words. Ed McHugh reminded my class of the ‘weight of the ring’ and I often remember his sentiment when shift my thumb to the black X face and push the 10grams of gold around my right ring finger. He also jokes that you always know an X grad on an airplane because she’s the one guiding her hand along the aisle, X Ring displayed!

2020 by many means is categorized as an exceptional year and begs us for an exceptional reminder of service to others. My dad, a fellow Xavarian shared this prayer with me this morning, on the Feast of St. Francis Xavier. I read it at the breakfast table to my family.

St. Francis Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Hail and Health!

StFX gave me many things but none as special at the friendship with this precious human being.