DocAndersen
The first time I played catch with my dad, I missed the ball. It hit me in the eye socket, and I ended up with a black eye. But, I wouldn’t trade that moment for anything. My sporting skills were never excellent. I can catch a ball pretty well. I am a decent bowler. I am a horrible golfer, but I enjoy playing golf. I like to fish, but I am not what they call an avid fisherperson. I do enjoy watching many sports and following my favorite teams. Sports is an excellent way for the world to handle some of the bad things that happen around us. My dad and I used to play catch in the back yard of our house. Nowhere near as often as I would have liked, but as a parent, I realized that the one thing you lose as an adult is time.
Growing up in Southern Indiana, basketball became the sport at which everyone played. As I said, I am not very athletic overall, but I understand how to play the game. Sports are about knowing where to be and when to be there. It is about positioning and making sure you are in the right place. But the lesson of sports has slipped away from most of us. Games are not about winning. It is not about being the last team or person standing. Sports is about competing with the best and doing your best. It is about rising above the challenges around us to be better. It is the simple application of the concept we call competition, but the most significant moment in sports isn’t winning.
Sports has to be the best of us. Recently, and I do not often post political posts, there was an event in Minneapolis. It, the game had nothing to do with sports. It had to do with someone not respecting others. I know that everyone can sympathize with that feeling of not being respected. I am deeply sorry about the events that happened in Minneapolis happened. It makes me sad that we have to deal with this. But we have to deal with this. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly. Everyone deserves the chance to do their best. The first time we catch a ball, we may use our eyes. But sports has to rise above the failures of the world around us. I am saddened by what happened in Minneapolis.
I pledge to do better. To pay attention and listen to the pain around me.
(sorry for the sad ending to this post but it is what I feel)
Anyone can join in Caption Thursday, just share pictures and fun ideas for cpations!
This work is Copyright DocAndersen. Any resemblance to people real or fictional in this piece is accidental (unless explicitly mentioned by name.)
