What a whipsaw of emotions. I could not believe how many swings of fate there were in the game. To make matters more interesting, my seven year old had declared earlier in the week that he was rooting for the Seahawks. He even brought home an art project with a "football guy" in blue and green. All through the game, he kept up a steady stream of needling comments. When Seattle jumped ahead in the second half by ten points, it just added salt to the rapidly developing wounds. As the Patriots slowly fought back, he still remained confident. He was very sure that they would repeat their heroics at the end of the first half and score the winning touchdown. As they flew down the field and added a miraculous circus catch, he was certain of victory. To be honest, I completely expected it. Then the impossible happened and the Pats got an amazing interception by a rookie to pull out the win.
While the rest of the family started to celebrate the unbelievable finish, my wife noticed the sobbing heap in the corner. My little guy was inconsolable. It took a good 20 minutes before he was composed enough to get to bed.
As silly and inconsequential as sports seem, they still have an ability to tap into some of our deepest emotions. They can draw us in and find ways of making us care in so many ways--often even more than we would care to admit. For a little while, they can even help us feel more alive. Of course, tying your fate to the unpredictable nature of professional sports can also expose us to crushing defeats. Having survived both sides of the equation, I can speak from personal experience. Still, I'm glad my boys are becoming sports fans. Life itself has its share of ups and downs. As devastating as the losses can be, our ability to persist in the face of adversity can help guide us toward ultimate victory.
Once we had safely tucked the boys in bed and lights were out, my wife decided to call it a night. She went upstairs and then came down again fairly quickly. In the darkness, she had heard my older son (the Pats fan) climb into his brother's bed and console him. I could not have been prouder of him.
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