It’s easy to be a fan and hard to be an athlete. It’s easy to criticize from outside of the ring, but difficult to get your face bloodied. We need self discipline to grow.
In the modern sports era, we have become accustomed to instant replay. Heck, we can even TiVo a game and watch it without interruption. That way, we’re sure not to miss a play.
But real life doesn’t work that way. There simply is no instant replay.
I realized this while watching my son play hockey recently. He was on a breakaway and I, shockingly, was talking to someone. Apparently, he made a “sick” move and I missed it. I looked up for the instant replay on the jumbotron, but quickly remembered that I was watching young kids play in a “hole in the wall” rink. I had missed the play, with no chance to see it again.
You may wonder, in a day where we “play-date” our kids from birth, and chronicle every sound or movement, why I was not using my smartphone to record the game. Well, the answer is either I’m not that nuts or my battery was dead.
But that’s not the point.
How often do we miss opportunities? We sometimes forget to pray for people (thinking of you Ron Pergande at GPA), help them in need or return a call. We often miss the chance to share a bit of ourselves with others. And there’s simply no instant replay or any way to get that back.
It’s kind of ironic that print has a lasting quality about it. I recall walking into a CEOs office last week in Orange County (Calif.) and, sure enough, he had a stack of CANVAS magazines next to his desk. He even bookmarked some of the better articles for future use.
The moral to the story is not that print is the great archiver of memories. It’s that we must be more dedicated to paying attention to each other and taking care of this great industry.
There is no re-do. Take notice now and take advantage of the opportunity to share yourself like never before.
Warmest regards,
“Our lives are defined by opportunities. Even the ones we miss.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
