Basketball

I loved to play basketball.  I played in high school for awhile, until my knee hurt too much.  I wasn't all that good - I was never a good ball handler, and I wasn't a scorer.  I liked defense, but I didn't have much meat on my bones back then.  But I did love to play.

I played intramurals in college.  If I remember correctly, my team won the all-sorority tournament.  I'll leave it to you all to judge how impressive that was.  I had a few more pounds on my frame by then, and my knee cartilage wasn't as inflamed because I wasn't playing regularly.  I still wasn't a good ball handler, and I still wasn't a scorer, but I think I was a pretty fierce defender.

So - both of my children play basketball.  I like to watch them play, and I like to see them improve.  They both had a game Friday night.  After the game, they were shooting around, and playing each other one on one.  They were having such a good time, I wanted to join in.  I challenged them to two on one - them against me.  There will be a day when both of my kids indivually can smoke me on the court, but Friday night was not that day.  My son said that I was playing some pretty tough D.  My daughter tried to play me close, and unfortunatley got a little too close.  She got clipped on the chin, but no harm done.  It was a  great time, and I guess I had forgotten how it felt to be out on the court. 

5 minutes later, my lungs gave out, so I told the kids it was time to go home.  On the way home, my son commented again on my defense.  I replied that if I could play him like that at 40, just think of how I played at 20!  The look on his face was priceless.  He was impressed, and I think I found just a little bit of my youth for a moment.