2 minute read
LIFE'S OBSERVATIONS
David Mosdal Guest Columnist
Happy New Year. 2023 promises to be another year similar to last year but perhaps a little better. The United States still has 50 States. We still have two major political parties, each of which is strongly divided over the minutia of who holds the “mostest, bestest” correct definition of said party. November's elections were the most hotly contested in years but, as a nation, we still fell way short of enticing even two thirds of the eligible voters to the polls (or the mailbox). So just how bad is it? Really. Our National Guard hasn't fired a single shot at the American public in over 50 years. Our Police departments can still put a cop in every cruiser. We can hop in our vehicles and drive anywhere we want at five miles per hour over the speed limit and nobody cares. Nobody. Is there another nation on the planet where ordinary citizens enjoy the level of autonomy that we have? Maybe, or maybe not. Are we destroying the planet that our grandchildren will inherit? Maybe, or maybe not. Will more rules and more restrictions on our daily lives make the world a better place? Maybe not. Do we need to just pause and think about who we are and why we're really here? Maybe so. Now, politics and current events can consume our time and use up our 20,000 words per day, but if you want to see your friends and neighbors get really revved up about something, go watch a basketball extravaganza of first through third or fourth graders rip and tear up and down the court in a rolling athletic catastrophe at the speed of life! Let me tell you, that's entertainment. In our school, this is called “The Little Pirates”. The gym is packed beyond capacity with parents and grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, in-laws, outlaws and maybe even law enforcement if they have kids in that age group. At either end of the floor is a lowered basketball hoop at maybe seven or eight feet high. The referees might be High School students and maybe a teacher or two. The rules of the game are adhered to in the loosest of fashion. There are no calls of traveling or double dribbling or fouls. There are usually two or three kids who understand the rudiments of the game enough to take a shot and, occasionally someone will score. While this is going on, there will be a couple of “opponents” off to the side whispering and giggling. Someone is always tying their shoe and the crowd is going wild! Otherwise reasonable people are up and down, shouting advice and encouragement to their favorite player and they are laughing hysterically. What is logical to a child is not always obvious to an adult and vice versa. It's too loud, too much fun and nothing less than the whole community cheering all the children on to give it their best. For these few minutes, everyone tries their hardest and everyone is a winner. Go Pirates!
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