A chance to honor Buriak's life

Sometime on Thursday, perhaps before Thanksgiving dinner, we may be asked about something for which we're thankful.

Our answers will reflect our uniqueness and our current circumstances: people, places, things, animals, vegetables and minerals.

Let's make a promise to each other.

If asked, let's just give a one-word answer:

"Life."

Because that's all that matters today to the Buriak family of Ledyard.

Life.

Matt Buriak, a wide receiver for Ledyard High's junior varsity football team, was in a huddle between plays during Saturday's JV game against Fitch when he collapsed.

He died Tuesday.

Matt Buriak was 16.

Matt was honor-roll student, artist and a three-sport athlete.

I'm not even sure this should be written. Because what the Buriaks are enduring is intensely private. But they need to know that there is a sports community, extending way, way beyond Ledyard, that mourns with them and prays for them.

Yet even with prayer's considerable strength, perhaps we have a nagging conviction that we are otherwise powerless. We are not. We can honor Matt Buriak today, tomorrow and every day after by simply honoring life.

His life.

Our lives.

It's beyond the "well, this puts things in perspective" bromide. It's a quick, simple, yet exponentially powerful sentiment to whatever deity we prefer:

Thank you for life.

Everything else is just details.

It needn't be advertised. Nobody has to print T-shirts or leave postings on Facebook. We can honor Matt Buriak and his family with quick, simple thoughts that in their brevity, illustrate life's simplicity and its grandeur.

And so as we steer along through work and school, the mall and grocery store, on line and in line, holding open doors, sifting through the mail, setting the TiVo, feeding the cat and making lunch for the kids, appreciate the gift we have of doing exactly what we're doing.

The words of former U.N. diplomat Charles Yost: "Life is the only chance you get. How you live it, what you take from it, how much you give back, a joy and a heartbreak, doing the best with what you have, loving with all your heart, treating all forms of it with respect, and a wondrous, beautiful mystery."

You read that again. And think about it.

And how Matt Buriak's wondrous, beautiful mystery consisted of 16 years' worth of games and memories and hopes and dreams that will endure over the lifetimes of all his family and friends.

We're as guilty here in the toy department as anybody else for overexposing trivialities. We get exhilarated, ecstatic, irritated and inconsolable over sporting events that, as Bogart once said, don't amount to a hill of beans. It's OK. Diversions are necessary.

Let's use Thursday's diversion, the Ledyard/Fitch football game, as a chance to celebrate Matt Buriak's life. And the priceless fortune we have of standing on top of the grass to see it.

Maybe none of us ever took the time to celebrate such a thing before. Let's try it this way: Don't let something that imperils life make you appreciate it more. Appreciate it tomorrow at the game, after the game. Perhaps the players at Ledyard and Fitch understand a little better today than yesterday fallen UConn football Jazz Howard's outlook: Play every play like it's your last.

Even if you don't know the Buriaks, you probably feel a vague tug of sorrow during an unspeakably sad time.

Join me in offering them the following quotation about life. The author remains anonymous:

"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself and patience to accept the truth."

And may Matt Buriak rest in peace.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.