December 10, 2005

First post. Ever.

I will add a counter once I figure out how to do it. Then I will be able to see how many times I viewed my own blog although Leslie might view it compassionately.

I have been talking to Caleb about empathy. Feeling with someone. A important Christian trait.

This morning, the teams were dressed in their representative colors with head and wrist bands, knee pads, goggles to protect the eyes. The energy displayed by the high fives and chest bumps was good to watch. There were score-keepers, line judges, and very enthusiastic fans. At the end of each match, the players would line up and slap hands.

It was the Area 11 volleyball tournament for Special Olympics, and I was there with Caleb, Erin and Jeb, my three children. It was held on the campus of Fort Worth Christian School.

I went because I wanted my children to see. To watch. To think.

There were two gyms, two levels. One gym had good volleys. One gym's competition was made up mostly of serves.

I watched my children watch. I had given them a little preview of what they would be watching, and then I just made the viewing available. I wanted something to happen, but wasn't sure what it was.

"Awesome"
"Excellent"
"Good luck"
"You go girl"

There was a tremendous amount of that.

Then, she was standing there. She must have been in her thirties. The two youngest children were huddled on the floor watching intently and Caleb was standing next to me, and then she came up on the side of us within an uncomfortable closeness. I couldn't understand much of what she said, but it was clear that she had won a gold medal. She was holding it stretched from her neck for us to see. I could make out from what she said that people were surprised that she hit it. I told her that they shouldn't be surprised anymore since she was a gold medal winner. "There are more gold medals at home," she said. We talked some more. Caleb told her that she had done good. A sweet face. A sweet smile.

At the bottom of the gold medal were printed these words: Skill Encourage Sharing Joy.

On the way home I thought that I might give a little lesson on any number of things. I decided not to. Sometimes words mess up moments. It thought this might be one of those times.