Check the Barn Door

I've learned a lot in the ten plus years of being a coach's wife.  I've learned a little bit about different defenses, and I've learned just enough about fouling to be dangerous as I yell at the refs.  I've learned that teams on both sides of the court want to win, and that while God does listen to my prayers, He may not really care if my team gets the "W" or not.  Or maybe there's just someone on the other side of the bleachers praying just a little harder.

Tonight, though, I learned a little bit about losing your focus... or rather, being too focused.  Y'all that know Caleb will really get a kick out of this one.

Much to mine and Wallace's chagrin, Caleb is his own kid. He has a unique personality.  He's not really into basketball, although I've tried to convince him that with his size he'd make an awesome center.  He goes to basketball games because they are social occasions.  He can hang out with his friends, talk to people he knows, get the basketball girls to give him the answers to his homework, and steal a few hugs and kisses (Yes, he's a ladies man).  He doesn't get too stressed out about wins and losses... although he is really proud when we win. But anyway, I digress...

Wallace has not adopted Caleb's laissez faire attitude toward basketball games.  He is very... uhm... passionate about his games.  Tonight was no different.  We were at Owsley.  We've spent many nights in that gym.  I might have accidentally yelled out the wrong team name at a game last year, because I've cheered for them so much... but I plead the fifth on that one.  He. was.  intense.

With about 17 or 18 seconds to go before half-time, a time-out was called. Caleb was sitting behind the bench.  He jumped up and grabbed Wallace's arm as Wallace reached for the clipboard.  Caleb was trying to tell him something... and then Wallace tells him to sit down.  And be quiet.

Caleb is mad.  Steaming. He's embarrassed.  I remind him how crazy his Daddy is during games and tell him not to worry about it.  "Mom, I'm not worried.  I was just trying to tell the idiot that he was pacing and jumping up and down on the sideline with his pants unzipped for all the world to see.  If he wants to be stupid enough not to listen, well, so be it."

Ok... I know it isn't right for Caleb to call Wallace an idiot or stupid... but I lost it.  I lost my breath I was laughing so hard.  And then I got serious... because how many times have I been so intent on winning, or on completing a project, or on doing what I thought needed to be done, that I haven't seen the egg on my face?  Or realized that, figuratively speaking, my barn door was open?

It's good to be passionate about something.  It's good to want to focus... but we need to be open to others.  And we need to realize that life isn't so serious. 

And maybe it's a good idea to check your zipper every now and again.  =)