A Love of Walking to Soccer Games
Ordinary Victories
DC United, the men’s soccer team here, recently ended their season. They were destroyed by Cincinnati. I saw the whole thing.
Anyway.
One of things I quickly share as my favorite things of living in DC and my living situation in general is that I sometimes go to soccer games. I walk to them. Again, I walk to them. I ended up living in a place that is about a 15 minute walk from the soccer stadium.
I think this rocks. It is so much fun grabbing a cheap ticket, walking to a live sporting event in a stadium full of people, and sitting where I want to (usually the rowdy box because that’s obviously even more fun).
Why do I like this?
Well, there is a personal connection with playing recreational soccer as a kid. I played for a while, up until high school, in fact. At that point, it seemed the soccer team was really for those who were impressive with cool names like “state champions” and all that. Wasn’t me.
There is a distinct connection through soccer that I have with my Dad. He once coached one of these rec. teams of mine, but there is something before all that. I started soccer as a small, small kid. I remember the confusion about what to do and something that was like a gear turning in my head as my dad pointed something out to me. We were all just chasing the ball, but he pointed out that there are spaces on the sides where the next play would happen. I should be there for the next move and avoid what the pack was doing. I express this moment quickly because it is a very early memory, but this is perhaps the root of a life lesson.
Going to a soccer game is also a nice, fun thing to do. The walk is a kind of victory lap celebrating the life I’ve decided for myself. It’s a perfect example of how I have joy for the present and keeps me out of worry for the future. Walking to the game is something wonderful, Marco once said with deep praise for the craft. Like living in Europe or Mexico, you can just go to a game.
There’s also the non-intellect to it that makes it fun. One of my all time favorite writers, Albert Camus, was once asked which is more important, theater or soccer, he exploded, “Soccer!” He is also quotes saying:
“Everything I know about morality and the obligations of men, I owe it to soccer.”
It’s a philosophy on vacation, and I can appreciate it like that.
More soon,
Trevor