The pickup was big. Big tires, big man. HID accessory light-rack on top of the cab. Dualies? Check. Aftermarket exhaust? Check. I rolled up to the red light and scoped out this big truck opposite me. The man inside has a cell phone stuck to his ear. Of course. I shake my head, he’s just like the rest of them.
The light turns green, I go on my way and he goes on his way, and as we cross in our near and opposite paths I almost didn’t notice the tears in his eyes.
It’s 4:19am Christmas day and I am framing photos I took in frames my apprentice little sister and I made and things could not be happier; this could be a really neat on-the-side job.
The way a soccer player celebrates a game-winning goal has to be one of the greatest things ever, whether Saturday morning pickup or the World Cup final. Iniesta looked like a little kid after he scored the goal today*. Picture a child one sunny afternoon celebrating a backyard goal in London or Guatemala or Seattle or wherever else; it’s just so honest, pure and joyful.
The same goes for the moment of a loss–a missed shot or a bumbled save. Straight up pure sadness, dejection and disappointment show their full colors. Again in that moment the pro athlete is no different than the little heartbroken child.
In these greatest moments we’re all like children in wonder and feeling. That means something and is not small.
We all should take this to heart more often.
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*For when I can’t remember why that means anything special: the ’10 World Cup final was today, Spain vs. Netherlands, and Iniesta put the ball in the net in the 26th minute of stoppage time for the win for Spain. VIVA ESPANA VIVA VIVA LA FURIA ROJA!!!!
By the way, Iniesta’s tank top writing is a tribute to a fellow Spanish soccer player who died of a heart attack not too long ago.
