One Handed Volleyball

I’m tired tonight.  I played volleyball tonight for three hours – with one arm.  Intense.  I’m going to feel it tomorrow . . . wait, I feel it tonight.  My right arm took the brunt of every hit tonight and my elbow is a little tight.  Only once did I forget that had an injured left hand.  It was in the heat of a great play and I just reacted.  But after that I never forgot again.  Believe me.  It just is difficult to sit on the sidelines and watch the game.  I’ve never been very good at sidelines. 

I spent some time with my grandmas today.  One needed to visit the doctor’s office so we spent the morning there together.  It was good to spend time with them.  My parents mostly deal with the day in and day out of taking care of "the moms" as we call them so I was glad to finally be able to offer some assistance.  My parents spend an insane amount of time helping others out leaving very little time for themselves.  Part of it is their make-up – they’d feel bad if they didn’t help others – not a "guilt bad" but a "i love you and I want to help you" bad. The other part is that they simply believe that is what you do as family, as Christians.  You take care of one another – even when it isn’t convenient or considerate of your life plans.  It doesn’t work that way.  If Life ever waited for a good time to cut in on our dance, it would never dance.  Life was meant to dance.  Yes, lots of times it steps on your toes leaving you in pain or skips a beat causing you to lose your rhythm.  Other times Life can sweep you off your feet and make you feel like you are gliding on air a million miles from where you truly are. Sometimes it isn’t the best song or the best time but life cuts in anyway.  You can refuse and go sit it out by the punch bowl and stale cake or you can take Life by the hand and learn some new dance moves.

I hope you dance.  My parents have always danced.  They never decline.  Yes, they get very tired and weary from always being on their feet.  And they have danced through some sad songs with but they’ve never declined the dance.  For that I am proud of them.  For that I respect them.  For that I dare to hope that I can be like them.