Sunday's Gratitude Post

I never thought I'd say this, but today I'm grateful for soccer. Yes, soccer. 

This weekend was G's last-ever soccer weekend: the state championship. He has decided that, after 6 years of playing, he's done. And what a way to go out.

Their team won the championship! Undefeated! State champions!

What makes it even more meaningful is that this is the first time G's team has ever won first in any tournament. They always did well, but the best they ever got was second. So it makes it an even more precious win.

Notice the lone blue ribbon.

What's more - and this is why I'm so grateful - is that in their last game today G was paired against the best player on the opposing team. G is not our team's best player, and in past seasons he's lost much of his confidence due to back-to-back injuries, but today he rose to the challenge. He got paired with that player simply because their positions coincided. And G consistently shut him down, playing harder than he has all year.

So today I'm grateful ... for successes hard won, agonizing decisions finalized, confidences rebuilt, a team bonded and then dispersed, and the knowledge of one 12-year-old boy that he made a difference in something bigger than himself.