Stay the course

The last time I played a football game was in 2004, almost two decades ago. Even on that day, I chose to be the goalkeeper, mainly to avoid injury. It wasn’t just the fear of injuries that scared me off the pitch; I did not have the time nor the opportunity to do it.

But on the Thursday before last Christmas, a group of friends invited me to a game of 6-aside (half-court). I was scared and nervous, but I was honest with myself and with them about my long absence from the game of football. Yet, I was allowed on the team but as a substitute. Even at that, I arrived late to the game, so I would have the opportunity to watch others play and see if I ‘ve still got it. I was not a skilled player before, but I knew I could pull off a few tricks. So, after watching others for some time, I felt I could spot a few guys on our team that I was better and faster than. So, when it was time to change a player I volunteered and just as I got into the game, there was a perfect pass which I converted into a GOAL!

The guys were like, “see, you have been selling yourself short, you have been ‘forming humbility’”. Anyways, after that excitement, it was time to play again and running around the field just for a few minutes, left me gasping for breath. I have not done this in decades. Then I overheard that we had just 12 more minutes of play. I thought to myself, “I can do this”. But when you are tired, 12 minutes could look like a lifetime. At this time, there was no more substitutions, I had to finish the game.

It became more challenging for me to move my feet, I was falling at the slighted move, I was worse than those guys I had thought I was better than. Anybody watching me would ask why I was allowed on the field in the first place. After much ado, the final whistle was blown, and the game was over; needless to say that my team lost….I won’t tell you by how much we lost.

I learnt a few lessons from this experience, the most important of which was that having the skills to play is not all that matter, the ability to endure and stay the course is crucial. If you see anyone who has been in a game, profession, vocation or any other endeavor and has stood the test of time, please salute them, encourage them, learn from them because ‘e didn’t easy.’ Put in the effort or learn to endure, stay the course, hold on, keep going and persevere.