Why Oh Why....

Sometimes, I'm just amazed by what I care about and how it impacts my life.


Take football:

In high school, I had a crush on the kicker, but that never went anywhere (I was in the band, was a geek, and was way too thin and shy). At games, when not playing my clarinet when we scored or desperately trying not to be too anti-social, I read. Yep, I had a book (sometimes two), in the stands and read. Ah, 'twas fun.

In college, Saturdays were devoted to relaxing, doing sorority activities, or studying. Did I ever watch College football? Um, negative on that one, ghostrider. I went to one Hanover College football game (we were Division III, I think), and that was just because my friends were going.

While getting my Masters and while in Baltimore, I didn't pay any attention to football. Occasionally, friends would mention a Terrapins game or my family would discuss the Purdue--Indiana rivalry or the Wabash--Depauw rivalry.

When I moved to Alabama for my doctoral program, though, everything changed. When I got accepted, my dad joked that I was going to be teaching a lazy football player who would get kicked off the team due to grades, and then I would be the most-hated teacher on campus. That never happened, fyi. But I found myself drawn in by the crowds (and the wins...I like bandwagons a bunch) and the excitement. I knew the game (I knew that a long, LONG time ago--you can still understand basic rules whilst reading a book--and I'm good at multi-tasking). However, for the first time, I WANTED wins. And I WANTED to know more, and feel more, for Bama.


Although I met my husband at some friends' party, I got to know him better at football games. And I love that he knows so much about football and is so eager to share tidbits of information, if I so choose to want them. I love that football can energize me. After my first attempt at comps, when nothing could console me, Alabama beat Florida in the SEC Championship....and I LOVED it. And I LOVED seeing Tebow cry. It didn't make the comps news any better, but having my football team win made everything seem a bit easier to handle. Before my second attempt at comps, I watched the highlight + inspirational music for the football team; I figured it could help propel me to the level that I wanted to be at. Unbeknowest to me, I was already at that level. That said, though, football was a motivating factor that I never thought I'd ever use. Crazy stuff, eh?


And so I wonder...I wonder as I wander through life...and I wonder where I'll wander and what will be wending my way through. Why I wander, though, what will I care about and how will I care. In my silly teenage years, I never would have imagined a husband like Adam (he was a JOCK, for goodness sake! and I was a band geek! and a regular geek!!). Nor would I have imagined a dog like Mr. Oliver (he's so freaking cute and crazy). And I'm so happy, so motivated, so delightfully amazed with how much I care about them. It's wonderful and spectacular, and I'm so glad that I never knew how excellent it could be to have them as my family.

I can't wait to find out what else I will care about in the future. So, thanks, football, for making me understand just how crazy the possibilities might be. And, even though Bama lost tonight, they didn't lose my love. Adam and Oliver, too, could never lose my love. So I can't wait to find out what else will never lose my love. :)