When I was young, I thought that the primary job of a parent was to teach your children. What I didn’t realize was that the job is something of a fifty-fifty deal. For everything I try to teach my kids, they turn around and teach me something back. Not on purpose, but that’s pretty much how it works for us.
So, Happy and Sneezy are on this indoor soccer team, Who Stole the Socks. And the first thing the team taught me is how important it is to play for fun first, and competition last. (Confused? See this blog.) I think that’s a big lesson for some adults, including me. Adults sometimes forget that life is supposed to be fun.
Anyway, by the end of their first indoor soccer season, these girls had learned to play together. Not only that, they’d figured out how to play strategically. And their coach, now that he was getting to know each girl, had a pretty good idea of their strengths and weaknesses, and how to use them to the best advantage.
As life goes, no two girls have the same skills, so as they continued playing together, each girl's individual, raw talent became evident, and the coach started playing certain pairs together depending on the skills of the opposing team. Individually, each player was strong. But together, the team dominated the field.
They helped each other, they learned from each other, they cried when someone got hurt, and they cheered when one of them scored. And always, always, win or lose, they kept the solid rule of cartwheels on the field when the game was over. They’ve been the epitome of good sportswomen.
The second thing the Socks taught me is why it’s important to be part of a team.
However solitary a work writing can be, I would never be where I am without my team. My writing friends help me when I have a question, teach me when I need to learn, cry with me when I get rejected, and get excited when I have good news. And always, always, win or lose, someone always reminds me to do a cartwheel on the field at the end of the day.
I’m playing the game because I love it, and learning as I go. And one of these days, when I score a winning goal, my team will be there to cheer me on. Just as I will be there for them.
Thanks for being part of my team.
4 comments:
This is so true. It's easier to be a better teacher when you're on a team. It's easier to be a better mom when you're on a team.
And it's easier to be a better writer when you're on a team.
So true. I spent too many years trying to go it alone because I was shy or didn't know where to look or something. It's so much better to have writerly support.
Yes! You are so right. I would be lost without the "team" support I receive from my CP's and other blog buddies.
Have a great weekend! :-)
I would have stopped long ago if it weren't for the support of my team! =) It's so true! =) Thanks Nichole!
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