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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Lessons of a football mom

Benson and I went straight from the Emergency Room to join the family at Dallin and Landon's last game of the season against our middle school rival.






We lost 24-28 when the other team beat all odds and made a touchdown in the last minute of the game.

It was heartbreaking.

Landon started on offense and defense (and did great!) and played the whole game with his arm like this...
Dallin had his best game of the year. He also started on offense and defense and had a safety as well as lots of great tackles and sacks.

Five years ago I was completely oblivious to local football games;  and yet, when it was time for my boys to play the other night, I worried about it all day.  I made them their lucky pancake breakfast and I made sure they had plenty to drink.  Is this a motherly thing? Suddenly caring deeply about something I was oblivious to in the not so distant past?

This year we had a  blow-out undefeated season--only one other team gave us any competition and that team had beaten Robert Stuart.  We had high hopes.

This loss was bitter.  I think I felt as bad as they did.  So many boys left the field with tear streaked faces.  My boys couldn't sleep--replaying each disappointing second over and over. I knew they would feel better and forget about it within a few days' time but I also knew there were lessons to be learned.  Lessons that needed to be learned. We talked a lot about finding peace even in disappointment and about letting time heal.

Unfortunately, losing the eighth grade end-of-year football game is preparation for a lifetime of experiences.  Football seems trivial but now those boys know that-- indeed--disappointment does fade with time and hurts that seem really important in the moment lose their sting when viewed from a distance.

Maybe when they are alone and those hard experiences come {failing an important test, being dumped by a girlfriend, losing a job, death...} they will remember long talks with their mother after middle school football and they will find peace.

I can only hope.

2 comments:

sariah said...

"Is this a motherly thing? Suddenly caring deeply about something I was oblivious to in the not so distant past?" I love that. I've wondered that same question.

beck said...

You're a good football mom.

At least they only lost one game. (Not 0-22) It's still painful.