Faith in Humanity

As I've mentioned before, Noah runs cross country for his high school team.

I cheer for everyone. Yes, yes, yes, I cheer for our team a little louder, and my own kid a little louder than that.   That said, our family cheers for everyone, no matter the team colors.  Let's face it, everyone deserves to be cheered for.  These kids work hard. They bust their butts.  Have you smelled my kid when he gets in the car after practice???  These kids workout in all kinds of weather, and they do all kinds of difficult activities to prepare for their meets. I'm the wife and the mom of runners, and I see what a difficult sport it is.  It feels good to be cheered on. It's a moral booster.  And really--they're all doing something I won't be doing in a million years.  So, I cheer for everyone.  I hang out until the last kid comes through each turn, while Shawn runs ahead to catch Noah at the next one (have I mentioned that cross country is not a sedentary spectator sport???).  That last runner deserves it perhaps the most.

Another couple from an opposing team noticed this the other night, and smiled.  Good turns, you know?  Later, I noticed their son was among the first to come through the finish line, and their entire team finished early on.  I also noticed where their team was from, and they had over an hour's drive home.  They could've left then--their son was finished, their team was finished.  But, they noticed one of our own was the very last runner.   And, they stayed.  And, they learned our runner's name.  This young man was a good 12-15 minutes behind the second to the last runner.  They stayed and cheered, calling him by name. It brought tears to my eyes--this is what it means to be good parents, to set good examples, to be good team players and to show good sportsmanship, and really, to just be good humans.

Afterwards, I went over and thanked them.  I shook their hands, told them what it meant to me, and thanked them for taking the time to make the difference and set the example.

I beg you--next time you are in the stands screaming your head off in the stands and on the sidelines for your child's team, remember the other team(s).  Remember the underdog.  Remember that everyone, EVERYONE, deserves to be cheered on, no matter what team they run or play for.