A sports analyst I am not.
But nonetheless I was glued to every second of Superbowl 49 between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. What a beautiful, challenging, well-matched game! Both teams played excellent games.
And there for a minute, I thought we would win. The Seahawks stood poised to grasp their second Superbowl win, going down in history as one of few teams that managed to win back-to-back Superbowl games. And that chance was shattered in seconds, slipping through fingers and disappearing in the gasps of viewers around the world.
Stunned. Shocked. Devastated. Crushed. Disbelief.
Even from my armchair, I could feel and hear the collective intakes of air from all football fans, not just the Twelfth Man. I know I am not alone in enduring a sleepless night where I replayed the game, back and forth. Restless memories traipsed behind my eyes as my heart and mind tried to process tragic events.
In the end, nothing changed with all of my angst. Nothing.
The Seahawks still lost. The Patriots still won. Millions enjoyed a fantastic athletic competition. Athletes were injured, great plays were made, miracles occurred, and agonizing mistakes were recorded for posterity.
In life, we are not guaranteed every win. Sometimes we have to lose. That's how it goes. And while it matters how we win, it shows more what kind of people, what kind of family, we are when we lose.
How do we react? Who do we blame? Who do we thank? What is our attitude? What do people see?
In each of the post-game interviews that I was able to watch, every Seahawk took the high road. Blame was not cast. Teammates and coaching staff supported each other. The team was still the team. Shocked? Yes. Against each other? No. Family? Yes.
Life goes on. It rains. Plants grow. The planet revolves. The moon goes through its cycles. Babies are born. Kids go to school. People die. Families get in fights and disagreements. Good things happen. Bad things happen. Choices are made. That's life.
,
There is only one sure way to guarantee without a doubt a win. The most important event in the life of a human is not a game. It is a choice. To each is given the chance to choose for Eternity. That all might live, He came to Earth. He died for our sins. He arose from the grave. He is alive.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. ~ Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)
After that choice, it's all gravy.
Seahawks, our boys. They are family. Good or bad, win or lose, you don't quit your family.
Waiting for football season.
GO HAWKS!
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Angie,
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Like a master chef using the best ingredients to create a great dish, you have crafted words to form a wonderful post.
And....sorry...but....Yeah Patriots!!
Thank you! I just found where my blog stats show comments. Took me a long time to figure that out! I appreciate your note. But not the Patriots! No, say it isn't so! :) Go Seahawks!
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