credit: Blush Response

 
Have you ever had days that stood out in your life for some reason or other? Maybe there was a special event that occurred, or maybe it was a memorable one for some other reason. Today is a memorable day for me. Today I experienced a roller-coaster of emotions like no other - I worried, paced, laughed and nearly cried, all over an event which many would deem insignificant in the larger scale picture of the world. But not to me!

I’m getting ahead of myself, allow me to rewind.

Today my daughter had her under 15’s football (soccer) final. The team had worked really hard all season and managed to make it to the final. Due to a great sequence of events it turned out that I was able to make it to the game, but it was about a 40 minute drive away.

I left with plenty of time to spare and got hopelessly lost when I arrived, I couldn’t find the sports ground for the life of me! I drove up and down, in and out of side streets, and had trouble contacting anyone on my mobile to give better directions. Finally I managed to find it, and made it to the game just a couple minutes after it had started (phew!)

What I’ve discovered as a parent is that when you watch one of your kids play sport, it means so much more to you than you can describe. You have such a sense of pride, and you often feel the same emotions that they feel. Longing, hope, excitement, frustration, even pain! Your heart really gets thrown out onto the field with them.

credit: ralphhogaboom

 
The game was nil-all at half time, and the coach was getting pretty worked up in his pep talk. The girls were pretty passionate and it was clear they did not want to walk away with a draw.

Second half was a nail biter. I paced the sideline with the coach to scenes of near miss after near miss on both sides. Goals were nearly scored for and against, and I really wanted them to win (let me just add that I’m pretty vocal with my support from the sideline, but I’m really not one of those “crazy sideline parents”, just in case you’re wondering!)

In the last 5 minutes there were some dubious calls which served only to heighten the tension between both sides; the teams put a great effort in right up until the whistle was blown for full time - no score. Which meant the team with the most goals up until that point would take out the championship: the opposing team. The girls were pleased it was a draw at least, but quite dejected that they didn’t win. There was not enough time for overtime play.

credit: Menlo School

At that point the ref jogged up to our coach and said he was willing to go to a penalty shootout, and our team obviously jumped at the chance. The other team agreed, so it was on again!

My daughter was picked as one of the 5 to shoot for goal (and hopefully victory) in a final penalty shootout. Nervous anticipation just stepped up a notch!

I’m not someone that gets stressed too often. I can handle a cardiac arrest calmly and have a conversation at the same time. But the stress I felt at this point was 10 times greater, I’m not kidding! Here’s how it went down, 5 shots per team with teams alternating between each shot:

First shot: they shoot and score; we shoot and score: Score 1 - 1
Second shot: both teams miss: Score 1 - 1
Third shot: both teams miss: Score 1 - 1
Fourth shot: both teams miss: Score 1 - 1
Fifth shot: they shoot and miss, and time goes still. My daughter steps up for her shot, and it’s the last kick of the day with scores tied. I swear I can feel what she is feeling, my hands are shaking. If she puts it in, their team wins. If not, the other team wins. How much more pressure can you put on a single player?! Needless to say, I really want that ball to go in more than anything in the world!

She steps up to the ball, and I’m so proud of her before she even kicks. It’s something I can’t even put into words, that’s my daughter out there!

She strikes the ball so beautifully it would make Beckham proud, and drills the ball right up into the corner of the net!

Oh man, the team goes wild and I’m nearly crying!

I’ve relived that moment a thousand times in my mind. As a parent the feelings are indescribable, amazing, beyond words.

In Retrospect

Let me share with you a few thoughts:

1. You can’t buy this moment, not for millions of dollars. You can buy expensive boats, build mansions, whatever - money can’t buy some of the greatest experiences in life.
2. How great are those moments in life that are really special! I’m going to make sure I don’t rush through life so quickly that I miss these amazing times.
3. Kids grow up so quickly - let’s try to be less picky about the small things and spend more time enjoying them for who they are.

Have you ever had pivotal moments in your life such as this, where you think to yourself “how great is it to be alive!” I hope you too are able to take a minute to reflect and appreciate the joy of life sometimes.