The Time In Between

A few of the things I love include having the opportunities to see the sun rise as well as the sun set…

A sunrise indicates that a new day is upon us. A fresh start. New beginnings.

A sunset indicates that another day has passed. A time to reflect upon the events of the day. The ending of whatever chapter we may have encountered throughout those 10 or so hours of daylight.

And then there are those seconds that tick away in between…

How do we spend those moments? Do we live with gratitude or do we allow the dark situations all around and within us to consume our time? Do we ponder the beauty of this thing called life and count our many blessings or do we shut the rest of the world out and sulk in the misery of situations gone wrong? When we look at the landscapes as they turn from vibrant colors of spring to the browns of winter do we view them as barren, dull, and boring or stop to contemplate the concept that in order for newness to come forth, there has to be a dying of the old?

I think about that last part a lot…

Not only as a person who loves to spend time outdoors but as someone who looks at her own life, where she’s been and what’s in store for her life.

Saturday was definitely a day like no other. Every possible emotion that could be felt and seen, was.

Between games my dad, my son, my nephew and myself took a little break from the football stadium and ventured on a little drive. It was a much needed and very enjoyable distraction from the grip of reality that had been holding us all so tight.

For two hours my mind was clear and my perception changed. Strange how being outdoors can do that to a person. I feel very fortunate that I am the type of person who can let everything go and find that sense of peace.

Aside from having the opportunity to see these things on our drive, I was struck by a pretty emotional moment later on at the football field as well.

It happened within minutes of the final buzzer of the game just before Nick’s. One of the best players on River Valley’s team had taken a hit and was motionless on the field. After a moment, he was on his feet and limping to the sidelines, hand across his stomach, hunched over in pain. Crying. His dad is a coach on that team and as they made their way to the sidelines the two of them stood together. The boy’s head on his father’s shoulder, his dad gently stroking his son’s head as if to comfort. The boy’s body was shuddering through the sobs. I don’t know exactly what happened, but an assumption was this 12 year old had the wind knocked out of him.

The buzzer sounded. The boys lined up to cross the field and shake hands with their opponents. All of them but Dante. All of a sudden, this mass of kids in red surrounded him. They patted his shoulder, rubbed his head, shook his hand, and gave him hugs. It was absolutely, utterly amazing. While he may have had the wind knocked out of him, that moment literally took my breath away. A random…very meaningful act of kindness. Maybe not for the people in the bleachers sitting around me and maybe not for the other 40 or so players on the field. But that moment truly spoke volumes to me.

When life knocks the wind out of us…and it will, there’s comfort. If we seek it. When bad things happen…and they do, there’s hope. If we look for it. Always.

Just as the grass fades from bright green to brown through a season. A new season is just around the corner…

Don’t miss the beauty during the time in between.