You know, you just never know what life’s gonna throw at you.
It’s like a massive game of dodgeball.
Sometimes you catch a ball, all victorious and triumphant. Woohoo! Oh yeah. Uh huh.
And you sit there thinking, You just keep chucking those balls, Life, ’cause I’m a really, really ridiculously good catcher. Which, for the record, is tantamount to taunting and should be avoided.
(FYI, that was the part of the story called foreshadowing, in case you keep track at home.)
Sometimes, Life – that super good ball thrower – gives you a chance to do your victory celebration.
But sometimes, just when you let out a good, loud YEEEEEHAW!, another ball flies out of nowhere and smashes you in the face.
Am I getting a little too analogous without any specifics?
OK, I’ll give you a scenario. A What If. A For Example.
Let’s say, for example, that you get a kid out of the embedded-needle-in-his-leg surgery woods. He is, for all intents and purposes, recovered. And you’re patting yourself on the back a little ’cause, even though the lead-up to surgery wasn’t fun and the surgery itself had some bumps, it’s two days later and your kid is doing great. You might be jumping around the dodgeball court with that surgery ball, thinking, “Whew! I caught that ball! I have five – count them, FIVE – healthy kids. Yeeeeehaw!”
And then a ball comes out of nowhere, and another kid – let’s call him Ian – runs down your neighbor’s driveway and breaks his ankle.
Yep. That’s what happened today.
Aw, baby. I’m sorry.
That there’s the dodgeball of Life, folks. And, not unlike elementary school dodgeball, I often feel nervous, unprepared, and like I may not be the best person to be running around my kids’ court… despite the ball I just caught a couple of days ago.
What is it they say? “You’re only as good as the ball that’s flying at your face.”
OK – no one says that. But I wish they did, ’cause that’s the perfect quote for our crazy life.
I’m back in the game tomorrow, Life. Even though victory was yours today, I think it’s only fair to tell you…
I don’t stay down long, and I’m ready to catch.
3 responses to “The Dodgeball of Life: Ready to Catch”
So sorry! What a bad time to have to have a cast on your foot! At least it didn’t happen at Boys Camp, but still, no fun. Hope it doesn’t hurt too much.
Aw, poor Ian! He looks so unhappy, pathetic, crying out for sympathy. And, this time, I think maybe he really could use some. I hope he’s feeling better today. Please tell him that I’m thinking about him and praying that his ankle heals quickly and completely.
ahhh, so sorry to hear about the broken ankle! The expression on his face is priceless! A cross between “I can’t believe I broke my ankle” and “It’s not enough that my ankle is broken but my Mom has to take my picture too?” Praying for you all!