Tough Break

Say, for example, there was something you really, really wanted. You thought about it incessantly, maybe even went the extra mile to bring your plan to fruition. Perhaps you prayed for it-all.the.time. And then, when everything seemed to be going your way, it fell apart-in an instant.

Not that I know anything about that, but...if it was me, I might be tempted to throw the adult-sized equivalent of a toddler temper tantrum; hypothetically speaking, of course.

Of course.

So last night, when my husband called to say that after the Boy's football game they were making a detour to the Walk-In Clinic because (contrary to what they told me) it seems it IS possible to get hurt on the junior high gridiron. Later still, when the phone rang again, the conversation went as followed:

The Captain: The good news is that your trips after school are going to decrease...

Me: But...

The Captain: The bad news is the Boy actually broke his elbow. He'll be out the rest of the season.

So the Boy, after all his hard work and dedication,who was a starter for the 8th grade team-as a 7th grader, who was averaging 5 tackles per game, who practiced three nights each week and played three games per week was, in an instant, issued a seat on the sidelines. You can imagine how he must have felt. I did, or so I thought. Instead of wallowing in the blow he'd been dealt, he's making plans to attend at least one practice per week and be present to cheer on his teammates at the rest of the games. No whining, no complaining, no temper tantrums of which to speak.

Quick think of the first word that comes to mind when you think of a 150lb, 12 year old, sweaty, dirty, linebacker?

I've got one for you---graceful.