Rise Up (Jonathan Toews)

44| Inspired

Jonathan

Rise up.

That's something Ariana says a lot, but not a lot of people stop to think about it. About what it actually meant to rise up. Everyone knows what the literal meaning is, how rising to a occasion is how someone would find success. How if you rise up you become bigger than whatever challenge you were facing. But that phrase is more than just getting up when you're knocked down. It's doing it in spite of what people think. It's overcoming what can be your tenth time being knocked down but still getting up the 11th time. That's how we rise up again.

So with the Red Wings having us down 3-1 in the series a lot of people don't think we can rise up. We were so far down and so many teams try to rise from the same spot we were in but end up falling short. A lot of people don't think that we can rise up again. They think we're too far down to be a contender in this series. But I haven't given up hope on my team, it ain't over until it's over.

I sit in the locker room as we all get ready for game five. The rest of the games this series are must wins and we knew it. So the tension was high as we get ready to try and add to the legend of this 2013 team by making a major come back. Once everyone was changed we sit around and I call the room to attention. Everyone's eyes were on me as I stand up out of my stall.

"Listen up" I demand as I start to pace the floor. The guys get quiet as I walk around so I can look everyone in their eyes. Even the veteran guys were a little weary. "We have done some incredible things this year and what do you say we make one more miracle? We've done it all season, we've won more than three games in a row dozens of times. And no one won as many games as we have. This isn't any different. When it comes time for us to rise up we do, we always do. And this is one of those times and then we have to do it two more times after this.

I know what it's like to be so low that it seems like there's no getting up, and this isn't it. We are down, not out. Each and every one of us have to fight out there on the ice and we have to fight together. This isn't the end of our team. We have so much more in us and we need to dig deep. We need to show everyone why we went 24 games without losing in regulation this season. Why we were and are the best team at any point this season.

It's time we rise up and we fight for what's ours. We need to remind everyone who this team is and why we are one of the best teams the NHL has seen in a long long time" I say.

The seemed to get them fired up as they start tapping each other's pads and throwing on their helmets. They hype each other up doing things that only make sense to them like hitting each other outside their helmets or just screaming. Once we were hyped up we head on put to the ice and get ready for game five. The biggest game five of our lives up to this point.

We take the ice with the same fire we felt in that locker room. It's almost like no one could have stopped us out there. We knew what we needed to do and we did it. We won game five and now we had to win two more to defy the odds. But I believed in us and everyone in that locker room did too.

Once we were done we do interviews and post game workouts and I head on home. I was ready to see my girl and our dog and settle down for the night. It's my favorite part of my day and I couldn't wait to hold her. To kiss her soft lips and fall asleep dreaming the most beautiful dreams. I was all hers until we had practice in the morning then I would have to leave for Detroit for game six right after. But I had a whole night of cuddling before that.

Once I get a drink and brush my teeth I change into my PJs and climb into bed. Ariana rolls over and moves in so she's closer to me. I waste no time grabbing her hips and pulling her into my chest. She looks up at me with those big green eyes and I remember that night in the hospital when I laid in bed with her. That's where my real strength came from, the way she looked at me like this. Like I was the best thing she's ever seen. That's the strongest I've ever felt, laying in bed with her like that. And because of that I was able to dig deep tonight and do what I did.

"You had a great game tonight Jonny. You guys look inspired out there" she admits as she runs her fingers through her hair. I try to fight my closing eyes but the feeling of her finger in my hair made me so relaxed.

"In a way you were the one who inspired them" I try to explain and she laughs.

"I don't think so" she insists.

"I think so" I argue. "I remembered what we did in the hospital to overcome our struggles there. How strong you were and how every time you got knocked down you were able to rise up again. Although this is nothing like that, it's the same principles and same amount of courage. I used those memories and those feelings to remind the guys that we are a strong team. And some times we need to be stronger than other times. But we will only find our strength once we rise up" I say as I run my finger over the tattoo on her neck. Although I still think she should have gotten better hand writing than mine it turned out really great.

"You hold me way to high" she accuses.

"No. I hold you close" I tease and she giggles. I softly kiss her neck and she pulls me even closer.

"Don't start something you can't finish" she whispers and I smirk.

"Yes mam."