We all have crosses to bear.  Part of the fun of sport is the release it can provide to lay down your burdens and to just play.  To truly play – in every sense of the word – is to open oneself up to the joy and lightness intrinsically packaged in play, which helps us carry our cares and challenges along the journey.

You never know the crosses being carried by others, sometimes even by our own teammates and coaches.  We learn so much of human resiliency and faith when we see people working hard, day in and day out, with a purpose – and not using what we might view as their cross as a crutch or excuse for poor performance or lack of work ethic.  Inspiration is all around us, but we must be open to it by being open to others.

“When we play, we sense no limitations. In fact, when we are playing, we are usually unaware of ourselves. Self-observation goes out the window. We forget all those past lessons of life, forget our potential foolishness, forget ourselves. We immerse ourselves in the act of play. And we become free.”

 

– Lenore Terr, Beyond Love and Work