Coaching my son's 11th grade soccer team has taught me more than I could ever teach them.
When I put my hand up to coach them I felt pressure for them to win games, until I was taught their main reason for player soccer was to have fun. Winning was important, just not the most important, not even in the top 5. So I made sure they had fun. We won some games too which was nice.
Last weekend the team were beaten 3 nil. It didn't seem important. In fact, coming off the field we didn't seem to care about the score. You see, one of the team lost his mother during the week. Somehow losing a game of soccer didn't seem that bad when you put it in perspective.
8 years ago my sister-in-law passed away after battling breast cancer at the far too young age of 29, leaving a husband and young son. Her ashes sit in a small casket on my china cabinet by my front door.
When I step outside each morning, no matter what the weather is doing, or if things go wrong during the day, when I put it in perspective, life is pretty good.
When I put my hand up to coach them I felt pressure for them to win games, until I was taught their main reason for player soccer was to have fun. Winning was important, just not the most important, not even in the top 5. So I made sure they had fun. We won some games too which was nice.
Last weekend the team were beaten 3 nil. It didn't seem important. In fact, coming off the field we didn't seem to care about the score. You see, one of the team lost his mother during the week. Somehow losing a game of soccer didn't seem that bad when you put it in perspective.
8 years ago my sister-in-law passed away after battling breast cancer at the far too young age of 29, leaving a husband and young son. Her ashes sit in a small casket on my china cabinet by my front door.
When I step outside each morning, no matter what the weather is doing, or if things go wrong during the day, when I put it in perspective, life is pretty good.
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5 comments:
I was very ill some years ago. One day I lay in bed looking out the window and these medium size trees and I looked and looked and looked. I studied the colour tones and the shapes and every little element I could think of in order to capture them. I've never stopped appreciating rural horizons and trees since.
You're right. Life is amazing when we take time to appreciate the little things.
I met a lady who was being treated for cancer. As we stepped outside she breathed deeply & commented on the smell of the sea air. I hadn't noticed until she mentioned it...
Problem is that you don`t appreciate many little things, even big things, untill you`r terribly sick.
Actually I passed two similar extreme situations in my life but didnot notice this sentiment of stopping and thinking.
Maybe because I stop and think many times and appreciate these little (and big) things also during my healthy period.
This philosophy should not change, depending on the state of mind and corps.
Human relations, family, environment, music, food,traveling, the smell of the sea air, a sunset, the moon, a flower, everything should be appreciated continously as if you wouldn`t sense it anymore..
Then, and when finally time has come, you won``t have this strange feeling of having missed many things in your life..
CONSUL
I agree with your philosophy, however there are times I find it hard to appreciate all the things you mention.
When things aren't going well, putting it in perspective helps. Similar to that book - "Don't sweat the small stuff".
I also appreciate Consul's ability to do that.. I guess many people don't have the 'space' to see and haven't perhaps been raised to see. Some folks I know are working so hard at perhaps two jobs they leave at dawn, come home after dark and sleep half the weekend to try and recoup. In those circumstances people probably won't notice too much..and yes, it is a shame that they won't until life perhaps yanks them by the collar and makes them stand still
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