This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about team work. My girls are involved in sports, so they get a lot of practice playing on teams. With each year that passes, and each sport they play (there are many) I realize more and more what it means to take a group of kids with such different personalities, with different skills and circumstances and desires, and combine them, push them toward a common goal.
It takes a lot of work. And effort from every single person involved. They don’t all have to like each other or hang out socially. They don’t have to dress alike, look alike, talk alike, or all listen to the same music, watch the same movies, be friends with the same people. Most often, few of them have anything else in common except for their love of the sport, and the need to be a part of the team.
Sometimes the team wins. Sometimes they lose. Whatever the outcome, they work their butts off conditioning, trying to get better, to improve. And those who are dedicated always do.
I have teams all over the place. My family is a team. (Extended family=extended team.) I have an amazing team of friends—my besties, known as the fabs. At any given moment, I can pass the ball to one of these people on my team and know they’ll be there to help me out.
There are even groups of writers with whom I’m part of a team. I used to think writing is a solitary production. And it is at first. But then you get critique partners, other writers/authors, editors, copy editors, cover artists, production people, agents, publicists, news outlets…and the list goes on and on. A whole huge team of people working toward one common goal.
So I’m thinking maybe life is a team effort. Maybe it’s all about learning how to work together, despite our differences. What do you think? Am I crazy to consider myself part of so many teams? To think other people are on my side waiting for me to pass the ball to them? Am I really an idealistic moron who puts too much hope in the world and the people in it, or do you think there’s some truth, some logic to this whole team thing?
More importantly, if I really am part of a team, what should we call ourselves?
3 comments:
I totally think there is truth to that. We are all on teams working together. I think it helps us move ahead in the game. Thanks for the awesome post Nichole! =)
I love this! I totally think life is a team effort. At least, a happy life, is. I'm glad to be on your team, Nichole!
I agree with ali - a happy life does require a team effort. I'm discovering more and more that writing is, too. Though we do spend the bulk of our time alone when we write, the critiquing, conferences, blogging - it's made a huge difference in my life and not just as writer. So glad to have met you!
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