How I Feel About Sports

I feel strongly about sports. When people say "it's just a game" part of me agrees... and part of me doesn't.

Certainly it isn't a matter of life and death. A team's loss is no reason for long-term depression. It is not nearly as important as God, family or friends. A high school student who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown because he's under so much pressure to perform needs to be reminded that it's just a game, and he's supposed to have fun out there. So yes, I agree to that extent.

But on another level there's a lot more there than meets the eye. Sports are about pushing for excellence. They are about the inspiring stories of the underdog overcoming, or the champion finding a way to be a champion once more, even in the face of impossible odds. They are about overcoming and persevering and focus and greatness. In a way, sports are allegorical of the entirety of the human experience in the same way that all great stories reflect THE great story. Also, there's such beauty in someone doing something so well, so exquisitely, so much better than I can! And there's such camaraderie amongst those who feel similarly.

Obviously I feel strongly about sports. But what about those who do not? Some people care for sports the way that I care for scarab collecting (that is, not at all). So how are those people to deal with such people as I? For those of you readers who fall under that category, I will give you a few tips for dealing those those of us in the sports-loving category.

* Never try to comfort a sports lover whose team has just lost the championship with the "it's just a game" idea. That's like trying to comfort someone whose dog just died with the words "it's just an animal." Even if that's true the very real pain is not lessened by the fact.

* Even more important: please refrain from the "what's the big deal?" line. Perhaps it's not a big deal to you, but it's a very big deal to me.

* Instead, a simple "I'm sorry" is fine. And maybe chocolate.

* But that's only if you're there at the moment of the defeat. If you aren't there, but are seeing the sports lover the next day, the above option might not be a good idea. To be safe, and listen carefully now, the best option is probably to refrain from referring to the loss at all. For those of us who have suffered through championship defeats, the tendency is to try not to think about it. I live in a state of denial for awhile until the pain recedes. So you non-sports folks, please don't pull me out of that denial even if it's to say something kind.

* This last point might depend a little on personality, and how well you know the person. It's just a general rule, and you can modify as needed in your personal settings.

* Now if there's a victory, please feel free to bring it up as often as possible! And if possible, have patience with my need to talk about it again and again. If there's another sports lover around I'll probably talk to him, but if not I might need your listening ear once or twice. Please try to smile even if you are completely zoning out (which is also fine - I don't expect you to be totally fascinated, as long as you're pretending to be).

In sum: it may mean nothing to you, but it means a great deal to me. So if you could give me a little understanding on this level, I'll try to patiently listen and smile while you tell me all about potty training and/or recent trips to Cancun.

(Hahaha - no, please do tell me about your children and trips! I just needed something to make a point here...) :)

How I Feel About Teaching

After a difficult year last year, I'm happy to report that this year is as different from last as night from day. Or summer from winter. Or milk chocolate from dark chocolate. I'm loving teaching!

Yesterday was a day I especially loved it, since I found out one of my seniors had written his "someone who influenced you" college application essay about me. I'm making a difference! Everyone IS making a difference, and everyone has a particular place in God's plan, but it's nice to get the concrete reminders. My favorite line from the essay was something along the lines of, "I would think she was impervious to other influences if it weren't for the fact that, since she has known me, she has developed a reluctant appreciation for martial arts." Hahahah - love :)

One of the things I love most about teaching is the classroom discussions. Every once in awhile I'll hit this gem of a question that will set kids off and running, digging into the meaning of a story, and even bringing up examples from their own lives to back up the point the author is making. Especially in the high school I have been edified by student insights, and have even added to my lesson plans for future years based on what the kids contribute. They are smart, and they are precious, and they are discovering truth and it's exciting to see. Sometimes we get into the really important questions of life - those things that kids are trying to figure out as they near adulthood. I love that I can give them Truth.

One of the great side benefits is that my students couple my name with those of famous authors. :) This is not due to any greatness on my part, obviously, but to the fact that I was the one who told them about these authors. Still, it gives me GREAT joy to have about ten heads whip around to wherever I am when the chapel speaker mentions John Donne, or the MFA Art tour guide references Achilles. And then I just glow about how educated my kids are... even if every other high school student in the universe knows who Achilles is. But not every other high school student can tell you of Achilles' redemption, or his entrance into the fellowship of suffering!

Of course, these great moments comes with some downsides as well. Sometimes I cannot believe how blunt a junior high student can be. "Miss Murray! What happened to your neck? It looks HIDEOUS!" Or "this is boring!" Or "Did you know when you drink you look like this [pantomime, pantomime]?" Wowwwwwww. I've been trying to drill it into one of my students' heads that if you must preface your remark with "no offense, but..." you probably shouldn't be saying it.

I imagine many young moms can relate to this aspect of things:)

But fortunately the good outweighs the bad. After all, it is also the junior high students who most readily dish out the words of aff, making cute little bookmarks that say "#1 Teacher" and such. Bless their little hearts.

I reminded myself last year that I'm not in teaching for what I get out of it. I'm there to serve others. But I must say, these sweet, heartwarming perks make it a lot easier!

God bless each of you, as you serve where He's placed you. And may you, too, rejoice in those little "perks" that make it easier!

How I Feel About Snow

I feel like I LOVE SNOW! I think it's beautiful. I feel cozy when it's snowing out and I'm in. It gives me snow days that make it seem like there really are more than twenty-four hours in the day. It sticks to trees and telephone wires and makes me think of Robert Frost.

You know how else I feel? People who continually complain about snow should probably should move south. If you live in New England, you're going to get snow, people! There's not going to be a winter without it! I'm not asking that everyone in the world love snow, but Northerners should be able to handle it.

I used to feel really strongly about this latter point, but I'm softening now as I realize that complaining about snow is some people's New England tradition. It's not that they're against New England, it's just that they believe complaining about snow is part of their New England duty. Or so my theory goes... And then there are those who would move if they could... (Backpedal, backpedal, envision all kinds of irate comments, backpedal backpedal backpedal).

I met the antidote to those snow-complainer types though, and it made me cheer inwardly. One of my students' moms told me this morning that she was kind of jealous of the people in Chicago right now. It's so exciting to know there's a major blizzard coming! It could set records! Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?! I mean, besides the obvious answers, like people who actually have to leave their houses...

Granted, this mom was originally from Chicago, and much of her family is still there, and her family used to have season tickets to see the Bears play in all kinds of foul weather, so she's probably used to it, but still... ! That's what I call a Northerner!

Speaking of northerners, I jumped out of the car to drop off a movie, and realized, on my way back, that I wasn't wearing a coat, and that I'd grabbed clogs for my shoes. Yessss. Northerner.

And that's how I feel about snow.

Also, sometimes it's fun to play in. Especially when you have a raging snowball fight in the parking lot with sundry students...