just shy of pretty

A Heartbreaking Loss…

April 30, 2009 at 10:25 pm (Day to Day) (Basketball, Day to Day, Elementary School, Heartbreak, Life, Losing, Loss)

Last night was the trophy winning game breaker for my son’s basketball team. After a crushing 2-point loss last week, they were fired up and ready to win.

They came on strong and played well, leading the game for the first 3 quarters. The other team couldn’t catch up no matter what they did. Unfortunately, our team just couldn’t hold onto the lead. The other team came back  bigger and bolder and made their moves.

Again, just like last week, it came down to the final 15 seconds. No score. Foul to us. 4 seconds on the clock—only 1 point behind. We put it in bounds and took the shot. Missed. Buzzer sound. The game was over.

Chaos from the other side—they all ran out and cheered. Our team was devastated, standing there. Even the cheerleaders were upset.

As a parent, you try and remember back to when you were that age. Think about the first time you lost something that you really, really wanted to win; more than anything else in your life. They were trying to win for themselves, the coaches, the principal, their teachers and the school. It was overwhelming.

But only after. They played their butts off and they looked good. It was a real team, with real rules and real consequences. They ran and sweat and got pushed down and got right back up. Not one of them quit or played any less than great.  They wanted that trophy bad. The other school has it though. For now. There’s always next year.

Not to get too mushy-gush, my kids hate it, but…

This is fourth and fifth grade, right on the edge of a whole new experience about to come. They are moving into the teens, and every hormone-laden, awkward, moody, mixed-up emotional, physical change that all those years are going to bring down on them. This was good practice because most of the team is moving into the junior high and it is going to be much harder. Disappointment doesn’t get any easier to take the older you get.  But I think we’ll save that lesson for another time. Watching from the stands and looking down onto the floor, you can see clearly, they’re still just kids. Let them have this last year. And leave it to the fourth graders to get that trophy back.

Despite the outcome, I am so proud of my son. I swear I felt every emotion that team was going through. It’s exciting for me to see him be so excited about anything. To know how hard they worked in practice, running and jumping and sweating and crying until they wanted to give up but didn’t. It was awesome.

When I was in school I never went to events or games, so I never understood. I am not missing my opportunity this time. My kids love sports and school and all the events that go along with it. And I plan on being right there, encouraging, pushing, and driving them on, until they can stand on their own and do it for themselves.

Last night was crummy, but today is better. There’s another lesson for you. Time heals all wounds. What a cliché, but what the hell.

Here’s another: Things always look better in the morning. Life just keeps moving despite the things that happen to you personally. No one gets a day off.

Things do look better today, although it’s still raining. That’s kind of depressing. Pretty soon that will be over too and it will be just one, long, hot, summer day, after another and we’ll be praying for rain.

So for my boy and his team, and his first, non-romantic heartbreak, the Music List will be all about…Heartbreak. What else?

Grab a tissue and settle in. The “Heartbreakers” Music List. Just below.

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