And of course it's something as simple and mundane as a high school football game that gets me thinking. Not to disparage high school football, but in the grand scheme, there are much more important things.
But not when you're a teenager. Especially from a small town. If only our worlds stayed so small and simple.
I considered how little has changed; just like we were, to the kids today, Friday nights in the fall are still what it's all about. The game, the social scene at the game, and what's going on afterwards. (As you can imagine, when I go to games, I do far less gridiron watching than I do people watching.)
People grow up, find their lives, get wrapped up in the duties of life, the hurts, the pains, the joys. And maybe the great thing about small town high school football is that for a few hours, you're right back there. Right back to your roots, among people you've always known (at least a few). And you get to pretend that right there, at that game, on that night, that's all that matters.
Maybe I've just become sentimental. As far as I know, I don't own a pair of rose colored glasses.
After we left the game, I started thinking of how much I liked growing up with the people I grew up with. No, really! A few of you need to pick up your jaw or perhaps reorient yourself in your chair. I know I didn't express that back then. Distance brings perspective.
We grew up pretty good folks.
I'm now finding it hard to choose the right words to express what I'm feeling. Moving on then.....
I shouldn't tell anyone this but.....
For several years after high school, I had this recurring dream. Somehow, there was a loophole in the high school eligibility rules, and i had one game left that I could play in. Of course the coach wanted me back for one game! Funny, the coach was always Larry Lee. In my final dream about this, just before game time, I go to coach and say "it's not right or fair for me, a grown man, to be play against these kids. Thanks but no thanks." I hear Brett Favre has a similar dream.
Back to what I was feeling....
It's shameful that we don't/can't truly appreciate our school days and the people we grow up with in the midst of the experience. Such a small bubble of time that means so much. An experience that we can only recreate in small packets of time as we run into one another.
I didn't get to know everyone very well, and I take the blame for that. I'm sure at times I came off as arrogant and a bit of jerk. I was masking doubt and fear and insecurity. Not making excuses, just saying.
Since those days, my relationships have changed. Some folks I wasn't close with, I've gotten to know better. Some folks I plain didn't like I'm now friends with. Sadly, some who I was great friends with I barely know any more. Lots of folks, well, life just gets in the way and we haven't/don't see each other. Except maybe on Facebook.
I seem to be losing my point.....
Anyway, I would not trade the days at GeCoHi for anything.
And I wouldn't trade a single person I grew up with.
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