Yesterday was sports day in the family. Mario had basketball in the morning with his buddies up at Carriage Place. They lost and a few of his friends were crying or throwing things but he stayed cool and collected making his pops proud.

Ri had her first indoor soccer game. Yea, indoor soccer. The girl who refused to even mutter the word soccer because she hated it so much is now trying indoor soccer. I think a lot of her desire to play is because her girlfriends are on the team and it is more of a social hour versus a game to win.

When I told her that Riley’s mom had called to she if she wanted to be on the team, she asked “is Ri-Ri on the team?” I said yes and she immediately shook her head affirmatively. “Sure, I’ll try it.” And that was it. No questions about what indoor was like, what position she’d play, etc. Even on the way to the game she exhibited no nerves or anxiety. I asked her who she thought would play goalie and she didn’t know. I cringed after I asked her the question because I thought that might raise some concern in her about possibly having to play goalie (after the Fall outdoor session’s goalie experience, I don’t think she wants to try it again) but again, she was calm and cool.
When we got to the site, the girls kicked the ball around while the moms stood around wondering where coffee was located. A couple of the moms talked about their daughters being nervous about playing indoor since they’d never tried it.”She was worried about what to wear.” “She was worried about whether indoor was the same as outdoor.”
I stood there listening to them and watching Ri play with her friends, laughing and talking with all of them. Missing the ball half the time it came to her. Still laughing.
She amazes me with her laissez-faire attitude. I would have been a nervous wreck at that age wondering if I’d be good and make a goal. But she just looks at it as a time to be with friends and run around and have fun. Good for her.
Even though she did leave the field after losing 7-0 and look a bit dejected. I asked her what was wrong.
“We lost.”
I told her she and the team played really hard and that’s all that matters. She shrugged her shoulders and ran over to her girlfriend and threw her over her back.

And that was that. Next time I lose a case at work, that is the approach I’m gonna take. Shrug my shoulders, flip a colleague over my back, and laugh.