Gratitude Journal – Day 90 – September 28, 2014

Sometimes life….

(click here to read Facebook comments)

throws us a curveball or doesn’t quite seem fair. Today as I watched my young grandsons box, I just knew that they had won – but the judges saw things differently. And Elijah said to me, I know I clearly had the first and second round, but the other guy did good during the third round. I think I should have won. Maybe next time I can be in the red corner because they always seem to win.

We watched Nathan as he dominated all three rounds of his match, and the look of surprise and disappointment when the announcer declared the opposing boxer the winner. And even in the face of this news, he was humble as he left the ring for the customary check by the doctor.

And at this moment, I truly felt sorry for the boys for not receiving what I and many others perceived to be the rewards they earned. Then I watched my son, their coach, give them feedback about how to not leave any doubt next time that they earned the victory, and to also explain that everything does not always turn out to be fair.

Conversely, there was an instance a couple of years ago when Nathan won a match that should have been called for the other boxer. And my son gave him feedback that reflected reality. It so happened that former champion Holyfield was at the match, so Nathan approached him to ask for honest feedback on how to improve his skills. Yet again, I am so proud of his humble demeanor.

I reflect on conversations that myDarlin’ Robert Kenui Pope and I had about days when he coached his daughter’s soccer teams. Just as in boxing, there were often calls made that weren’t fair, and the words he spoke were the same as I just heard my son speak today. And I realize that this is one of the universal qualities of a good coach, one that is timeless, to teach our children that life if not always fair, and that learning to deal with it will make us stronger and more resilient to be able to withstand the storms yet to come.

On the surface, it may seem that myDarlin’s passing isn’t fair; to him, to me, to our children, our family and our Ohana. And I am reminded of this verse and know that our days are numbered in the Book of Life:

They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow. Psalm 144:4
I am filled with gratitude for the days that myDarlin’ spent with us during his journey, and know that he has finally arrived at the ultimate destination. With faith and trust in the Lord, we will join him as the sun sets and our shadow fades.

‪#‎KeepLookingUp‬