Pom poms shaking like leaves falling in October…
Hearts pounding like a hammer driving a nail into a board…
Eyes glued to the ball traveling up…up again…over…and back…
Feet propelling moms and dads off the floor like a helicopter…
Twelve hours of this craziness – but WE would not have it any other way!
For some of us, she is our only child rising to meet a challenge. For others, she is their only daugter doing the same. A regional tournament brought ten families together – cheering, rejoicing, high-fiving and living. Yes, we were living in the moment that Saturday, relishing in our children’s feats and delighting in their victories.
But not every parent was doing so. Not because their child was losing. Not because their child lacked talent. Not because pom poms were absent from their cheering arsenal. A small piece of technology was far more important, distracting life, missing moments. I wanted to shout “Live your story”!
A championship match found the Cincy Crush parents (that’s us) assembled in one area. Cartwheeling (oh yeah!), chanting, pacing…we were fired up!
WE ARE (clap, clap) CRUSH GRAY (clap, clap). WE ARE (clap, clap) CRUSH GRAY (clap, clap).
Our daughters occasionally gave us the eye roll – you know that priceless one from a teen – but we just cheered more! Eventually they gave up attempting to quiet us and joined in our energy 😀
We’ll never have that time back, those moments, that last game, the final point. We’ll never be together again as Crush Gray – winning, losing, hugging, consoling. We were living, and in THAT moment.
But so many around us – and there were with over 240 teams – missed moments. Tears flowed for those as I casually grazed the convention center room. Phones, iPads, and more phones and more iPads pulled eyes away from children and hypnotized their parents. They were missing life – only to be consumed with someone else’s via Facebook or other outlets. I wanted to shout “Live your story”!
Sigh…
Our very existence continues to crumble at the hands of technology. Yet, like a speeding train, we can’t seem to stop it. We’re mesmerized by the lives of others while forgetting our own. And when we do decide to think about ourselves, it’s usually with a selfie snapped at least ten times with an added filter or two. But invariably, we missed the moment…
Live your story, my friend. And do so in the moment. BE where you are, don’t wish away or waste away the day – you’ll never have it back.
Live for today…and make it beautiful.
