THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2024 - OOPS - I STILL HAVE SOME EGO LEFT

  THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2024 - OOPS - LOVE DID OR DIDN’T WIN

For the past eight years, I’ve been learning about love - the unconditional love or agape love of God.  The infinite - love everybody.  I’ve used (and overused) “I can only love God as much as I love the person I love the least” (Dorothy Day).

There are times when I slip - and don’t love like I should.

*****

Last Saturday, there was a Granny Basketball Tournament in Killeen, Texas.  There were eight teams there (Oklahoma Twisters, Fort Worth Heifers, Waco Six Shooters, Conroe Texas Two Step, Harker Heights Old Glories, Killeen G-Force Rebels, Round Rock Rockettes, and the Georgetown Fire Ants).

I’m not longer playing - but I am the official scorekeeper for the Fire Ants.  I’ve been with this group for four years.  In those four years, we’ve never beat the Round Rock Rockettes.  They have run over us by double-digit margins. Losing 57 (Rockettes) to 43 (Fire Ants) was normal.  

The Rockettes are GOOD (bordering on Great).  They have two forwards that could play blindfolded and still make baskets.  

I have a bias with Granny Basketball - there are two philosophies - WIN, or PLAY all your players and enjoy the sport.  The Round Rock team plays to WIN.  The same two forwards never leave the game.  The Fire Ants rotate players.  Since only two players are forwards at the same time - and those two are the only ones that can score, we have different forwards in each of the four quarters.  We’ve been starting with Terri and Judy; the second period might be Patti and Julie L; the third period might be Julie C and Geri, and in the fourth period, Irma and  Sharon might be the forwards.  With fourteen players, having eight players play the scoring position in a game is almost unheard of. (And, sometimes, Ann, Dina and Linda also play forward).  

 

There are a few on the team that don’t want to be forwards - like Sue, Ruby, and Dale.

*****

Well,we met the Rockettes in our final game in the tournament.  It really isn’t a tournament - it’s not where winners play winners, and losers play losers.  The games are set up in advance.

We beat the OK Twisters 46 to 45.  The Fort Worth Cowtown Heifers are a new team this year and just getting going.  We beat the Heifers 60 to 35.

So, here we are with the only team that hasn’t lost this year (and only one loss in the last three years - and that was second at the Granny Basketball National Tournament two years ago).  I’m at the scorers table with the clock runner, the scorekeeper for the Rockettes and myself.  

It was a back-and-forth game. Laurie or Reyna scored for the Rockettes, and then one of our forwards scored.  

We got ahead by five points once, and going into the last minute we were ahead by three.  And, when the smoke had cleared, the Georgetown Fire Ants beat the Round Rock Rockettes 57 to 55!!!

*****

Now, I was prideful - my team had been the good team by two points.  I wanted to do a fist bump at the scorer's table (but didn’t),and  I wanted to yell WOOO (but didn’t).

Competition can bring out the best and the worst in people.  Where was my love for a good game between two good teams?  Nah - we beat those *&#*%$” Rockettes.  

I walked out with a player on another team who said “Granny Basketball is a good game.  It keeps us senior women playing and helps keep us young.”

I’ve viewed Granny Basketball as a sorority gathering.  In a sorority conference, groups from many college campuses come together as one.  I have made good friendships with many players.  It is fun.  But, on this day, I wanted to gloat and celebrate an upset victory on the good team in the area.  

Yes, it is a game.  I read a book years ago with the concept of board games - when the game is over,  the board, cards, men, and dice all go back in the box.  Yes, all of us went to our cars and drove home.  We had fun, we played a sport that many women our age don’t play.  We got good exercise, we had time with friends.  Nothing wrong with that.  (And, on that day, we won three games and didn’t lose any).

But, in my heart - I was rejoicing that we won.  

*****

The world says, “Winning is everything.” Look at college or professional football. The goal is to win. Coaches get fired if they don’t win. Fans fill stadiums, wanting a win. Nobody likes a loser.

And, yet in life - we ALL are winners.  

“For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes not that you won or lost, but how you played the game!”.

I want that One Great Scorer to say “Karen White, you played with your heart, you worked on loving people, accepting people, and befriending the lost and lonely people.”

Yes, LOVE WINS!!!  (and, I’m still working on that!!!)

LOVE TRANSFORMS (and I guess I’m still a “work in progress”.

Karen Anne White, ©, May 2, 2024