I used to be a diehard Liverpool fan, and was glued to the weekend matches that featured my team. Oh yes, I'd watch or attend other games, including my xh's team, Leeds United, but my heart was with Liverpool. Years passed and many moves and a divorce later, I still had a generic interest in football, ok...soccer for those of you who know the game only by that name...but the US sport bugged me no end. All those stops for commercials. Puhleeze. This is a a game that imho is dependent on the intensity of full tilt boogie for each half. Period.
Now to the present day. My grandson, god bless him, is also a Liverpool fan and my dh is wise enough to realize that learning to love his grandson's interests is a wise move. Time spent watching the telly in England and on the continent has shown him how the sport is really played and a fan was born! (He even fell for rugby but that's another tale..)
Yesterday, as I was happily watching episodes of "Brothers and Sisters" on Netflix, I heard the tv go on in the living room. Now if someone is watching tv in our house, you can almost make book on it that it is not my dh. But finally I had to go and see what he was watching. UEAFA 20212, the final between Spain and Italy. I came in near the end of the first half with Spain leading 2-0. Now we have been to Italy a lot over the past years, and there is an emotional pull for them but Spain was undoubted the better team on the field. Their "tici taca" passing was a joy to behold. DH watched more of the 2nd half with me but the game had slowed down a bit and he figured that it was going to end 2-0 and he went off to do other things.
I stayed and saw Spain forge ahead with two more goals, first by Fernando Torres, but then it was that last goal that brought tears to my eyes. Torres passed the ball to the 'just on the pitch' Juan Mata. Yes, it was another goal but it was the look on Mata's face when he looked back at Torres!
Pointing that finger at his Chelsea teammate was a Wow! moment for me. Yes, we live in a hard world and people do things one could not imagine that they could but...but...there are still the times of great generosity. Giving an assist in football is one thing. No, I'm never going to be able to do that and you probably won't either. But an assist is one thing most of us could use now and then. Watching that look reminded me of the importance of an assist in life. I'll never know when the next opportunity may arise, but my heart will. I just have to go with my heart.
Thank you Fernando for teaching me this lesson once again and making my Sunday!
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