Something to root for

These are unsettling times. Amongst the chaos and cacophony, it was soothing to hear Hubie Brown breaking down the Celtics - Heat game last night. When I lost my Dad unexpectedly when I was twelve and he was fifty -- basketball became a refuge and so it remains now. Athletics brings us all together, teaches us to respect and honor teammates and opponents, and also to accept constructive feedback from coaches, and ultimately handle success or failure that the scoreboard reflects. The fields, courts, stands, and locker rooms are places where we gain a deep understanding that our collective strength lies in our diversity, that mutual respect for all is paramount. "Golf is the game closest to the game we call life," Bobby Jones said. "You get bad breaks from good shots, and good breaks from bad shots -- but you have to play the ball as it lies." Unfortunately, it seems like these life lessons have been missed when we need them more than ever. However, my hope is that we realize -- in a hurry -- that we're all on the same team, and that social justice and racial equality immediately prevail. I'm naive. Saying, "in a hurry" and "immediately" prove it. But what else do we have to root for?