WHAT IF’S AND THOUGHTS ON DO-OVERS

by Dave Friant

Been thinking this past summer about a lighthearted mind game while the ticker continues to do its’ pumping. Nothing deep. Simply imaginary tamperings with the sweet spots that characterize our lives.

I suppose it sounds a bit Twilight Zone-ish. But no Rod Serling in this examination to provide commentary. Also declined is soft music accompaniment by Peter, Paul and Mary as well as the experience of Deep Forest Green aromatherapy healing candles during the assignment. Just a glimpse into a personal What If and a thought on Do-Overs.

Gotta’ bear with me here. Play nice. It’s simply a curiosity project with a slice of contentment tossed in. No frowns or tossing of the dice hunches allowed. There are plenty of reasons to exercise the gray matter with off the beaten path thought provokers. Even if only within our imaginations. Set aside the viewing of four-plus hours of C-SPAN for a couple days this week. Cool the jets on that blasted I-Phone for a bit. Put a pen to paper and jot down some thoughts. Keep it light or dig a bit deeper. Your call.

The scenario within my What If portion of the drill is sports-related. A castle in the sky envisioning. It’s healthy to on occasion exit the main road of daily routines.

Barely above average would be descriptive of my athletic talent over the years.

Accomplishments by no means ever climbing to a level where personal box scores or stats were considered to be newsworthy. No recruiting personnel representing institutions of higher learning huddling around our kitchen table for high-end athletics discussions. Simply not in the cards. Occasionally an appreciative “atta boy” heard from an attending fan(s) regarding the outcome of a team event or individual effort. On the other hand, no recalls of being the last kid selected when teams were chosen for a sandlot sporting event. An ordinary jock. Nothing more, nothing less.

There were winners and losers along the lines of contenders in sport competitions back in the 60’s. No participation trophies to appease each and every kiddo who simply showed up for a contest.

I digress.

What if genetic influencers had set into motion the wherewithal for yours truly to become outstanding in a sport(s)? The gift of parental athletic exceptionalism kickin’ in early with respect to size, talent, coachability, diligence in the area of practice, and other elements that are markers of phenoms. Recruitment from top-tier Division 1 colleges with big bucks and endorsements in plain sight. Acclaim amongst the hosts at ESPN. A transition into the pearly gates of sports stardom and the rarified air of privilege and celebrity status.

Sounds like a bell ringer to me. Even if having taken place many decades ago, a finding of such a needle in a haystack would have had the potential of affecting in positive ways the lives of so many.

But what if those gifts of athletic distinctiveness from God via the genetic route became tarnished over time? Accompanied by the trappings of greed, excessive ego, and a variety of negatives shared on social media regarding famous athletes. Legacies are often adversely affected. The impacts on family and friends can be devastating. What a bummer when considering those possibilities.

What about Do-Overs? In my life, it’s too often been a game of whack-a-mole (you remember. . . the carnival battle at the fair with the randomly popping up tunneling varmints and the mallet) when having to address varying degrees of missing the mark.

To date, I’ve fortunately never had to experience the notorious perp walk after an interaction with law enforcement. But kinks in the armor over the years have been plentiful on a number of fronts. Failing to be apologetic for unkind words or behaviors. Persistence in evening scores with those who in my mind have done me wrong in some manner. Losing patience and reacting in hurtful ways. Much like being bloodied early on during a 15-round title bout.

Fortunately, blessings continue to flourish given the availability of the Lord. . . the ultimate cut man in the corner of all who seek Him. Lessons learned. Second chances for botched efforts over the years. Fresh slates made available for the purpose of giving it another go.