After flirting with retirement for years, Brett Favre apparently means it this time. The Green Bay Packer quarterback announced his retirement from professional football last week. He will leave a legacy of a strong arm, a strong heart and a passion for football. But perhaps what he will be remembered for most will be his decision tom play football the day after his father died in an automobile accident. On December 20, 2003, his father Irv suffered a heart attack and drove his car into a ditch in the city of Klin, Mississippi. Bret immediately flew down to be with the family, but there was nothing he could do. Bret flew back the next morning to be with his team, and decided to play that same day. He spoke to his team and said to them: "Don't play this game for me." And he went out onto the field and played perhaps the best game of his career. Favre passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-7 Green Bay victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Some may ask: how could he play football the day after his father died? Isn't that disrespectful? Shouldn't he have stayed home with his family in Mississippi? And if he decided to be with his team, shouldn't he have sat out that game and let someone else play in his stead? And how could he concentrate on a football game only the day after his father had died? Wouldn't he lose his concentration, leading to fumbles and indecision? And how about his teammates, what were they thinking and feeling that day? Could they trust his ability would still be there, knowing what he must have been feeling?

He decided to play that day, and what a game it was! What happened that afternoon was a group effort, begun by Bret and joined by all his teammates.

Grief-lessons for us? First, we must respect all forms of grief and mourning, and not reject someone's ways because we may think they are inappropriate. Second, we must attend to the mourners, we must surround them with our presence and our compassion and our love, for that is what they truly need. And when we do, we will be rewarded when we ourselves need solace and hugs. Today we will give; at our own future time of need, we will we receive from others.