Unique Adversity
I had the unique privilege of seeing Amanda Knox speak last week. At the age of 20, Knox found herself in a tragic, surreal set of circumstances that put her life on an entirely different trajectory. Studying abroad in Italy as a college student, she returned to the apartment she shared with three other women to find one of her roommates dead of an apparent stabbing. She immediately notified the authorities, but quickly became the primary suspect for the crime.
She spent almost four years in prison (two years leading up to her first trial, then two more before her conviction was overturned). It took far too long, but DNA evidence ultimately identified the actual killer, and yielded a definitive acquittal from the Italian Supreme Court Court.
Four years. FOUR YEARS. Taken from you. Here - sit in this jail cell and reflect on the crime that you did not commit. Ponder how the heck you are going to prove your innocence.
The media coverage of the case was global in scope and hyper-sensationalistic. The Italian prosecutor’s theory of the case included a range of untrue, tawdry elements that the media were more than happy to splash everywhere. So even after winning her freedom, Knox returned to a world that was primed to think a lot of untrue things about her. Anonymity was not an option.
The grace and equanimity she displayed in her talk was remarkable. It made me think of Victor Frankl and his book, Man’s Search For Meaning. Both Frankl and Knox found themselves deprived of their liberty, in trying circumstances (obviously Frankl’s situation being far more dire). But both emerged from those adversities as better people. Like Frankl, Knox has something meaningful to share with the world about how, regardless of our circumstances, we always have a choice regarding our response to the events of our lives. And it is our choices that ultimately define us.
Wrongful incarceration is thankfully a pretty rare occurrence. But we all endure events - the loss of loved ones, random violence, accidents…plenty of things happen that are beyond our control. The only power that we have is in the responses we choose when faced with adversity. We can complain about unfairness, wallow in self-pity. Or we can own our experience and take action to mitigate the effects of misfortune on our lives. We may wish we didn’t have to make it, but the choice is always there to be made.
Today Knox and her husband have two children, and she is a prominent advocate for the Innocence Project, which advocates for people who have been wrongly convicted. Her talk was intense, and uplifting. No doubt the version of Amanda Knox that I witnessed is a different version of the person she otherwise would have become were it not for her wrongful incarceration. But I get the sense that she is making the most of the life she has been fortunate to reclaim.
Sunday Supper
This time last week, I was smoking my first brisket in many years. As such, my expectations were for a good, but not great result. I surprised myself, though - it was amazing!
This week Lori and I are returning to our empty-nester meal prep routines. Here are some salads that I’ll be putting together to enjoy this evening, and in the days ahead:
Fatoush
Chopped Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad
Rosemary Chicken, Caramelized Corn & Peach Salad
Sunday Music
This Sunday I share with you a group I had never heard of until today - here is Pygmy Lush, playing at the NPR Tiny Desk. Enjoy!
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Have a great week ahead! Offer support to others. Make good use of this day. And let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,