While my neighbor was over today, for our weekly appointment with the NFL, I did a little soul searching. Just a little bit. I realized what I needed this week was a healthy dose of bread and circuses. The only way I'm going to maintain a balanced outlook is to let myself hide in the spectacle of sports and entertainment. I have been overwhelmed with anxiety and fear and anger. I have to step back and cool off. I'm not advocating "wait and see," per se. I just have to protect my own psyche and fragile health, if I'm going to be strong enough to go forward. I'm not going to tell anyone what to protest or how to celebrate. I'm just going to take some deep breaths and immerse myself in football and basketball for a few weeks. I need to indulge in this particular opiate of the masses.
I promise I won't hide from reality forever. I'll still dive into important topics. But I'm going to need to have a safe space, so to speak, and that space is going to involve games that would break me if I tried to play a single down. I know not all of you appreciate sportsball. Humor me while I waste column inches on one of the few things that is still bringing me joy this year.
I'm also enjoying having my neighbor come over so I can watch his unbridled joy when his team performs well, especially when they manage improbable comebacks, as they have two or three times this season. It gives me hope that I can pull off as unlikely a victory as they. Plus, when my neighbor visits, he brings his young dog over to play with the pack who are back with me for a while. Barley the dog wears Murray out enough that he digs less in my yard. There is always something in it for me.
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