Howdy,
Thought I’d share 3 things, sad but true.
Hard to believe, in fact, that these are all only from today, but I ran across a striking statement or idea morning, afternoon, and night.
First, I heard an insane statement from a sports fan this morning, talking decidedly and aggressively about not defecting a favorite chosen team. To effect he said, “You say you’re getting divorced … shrug. But you NEVER defect from your team. Come on, only LOSERS drop a team to change it out for one better. You don’t do that.”
He made the latter sound a lot like adultery and actual divorcing hardly news enough for a response.
The sacrilegious statement, the ridiculousness of it, made me start to get frustratedly upset: “How could you even compare?” Poor choice for an example, I thought.
Then, unfortunately, it made a little sense — at least by the numbers. If the divorce rate really is anywhere around 50 percent, as is so frequently and causally espoused, then likely less people who happen to follow sports abandon their Number One team then their vows. Sad (and stupid) but (anecdotally) true.
Then, this afternoon was a little more fun, though it kind of casts dads in a bad light — unless they’re me. (Wink, wink.)
It’s the subtly unfortunate idea behind the compliment that makes it sad. Here’s a text I sent to my sister-in-law after grocery shopping with three kids: “[Her name], You will be glad to know that I am ‘a VERY brave man’ and ‘a WONDERFUL husband,’ according to two women Costco shoppers of great understanding. Right, [her husband’s name]? (Dads with kids in public … HEREOS!) Also, I think youngest kiddo in pack for extra kudos.” (CAPS mine, since, well, I wrote it.)
Right on with this “inside” conversation, her husband texted back: “Our country’s future is in good hands with dads like us billy. Now if only we could get our wives to step up.”
It’s true but a bit sad that a public sighting of a dad with young children is seen to be so like witnessing a saddled unicorn.
I felt more like a donkey. Packing, pushing, and pulling. True but not all sad.
Lastly, this evening, I was confronted with a sobering Scripture, some of Jesus’ last earthly instruction: “Go therefore and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).
Jesus said to make disciples. But most of us don’t: certainly not in an accomplished manner or with great steadiness or faithfulness. So sad but too true.
Three things, sad but could change.
—Billy
Reading. Writing. Living.
Word Count: 47,515 / On Pace: 47,850 / Year’s Goal: 200,000
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