Every time I watch football (usually during the World Cup matches), I wonder a lot why people would get so desperate and emotional around it.
I am very much amazed about the amount of accidents that football causes, and all the tears of the fans when their team does not win. I can still remember a Belgian kid's face on TV He was in tears, because Belgium did not make it to the final. His father trying to give him comfort and then the 2 of them kind of leaving the stadium, already wasted from all the energy spent cheering their team., with no result.
This year Italy did not play at the World Cup, therefore I could not experience the same feeling I was experiencing 4 years ago. I am not interested in football, and yet I was feeling extremely patriotic back then. I was wearing a blue T-shirt, I had a flag, I was considering painting it on my face too, and I was going around saying "YEAHH!! Forza Italia!!" which is something I do not even do when there are elections.
So, this year I was wondering.. how am I going to feel? What is happening? So I observed the behavior of everyone else and the fans on TV, and one evening I was really cheering for Colombia, my partner's home country. When they lost against England, I felt all the things that a person feels during his/her life path. This is why I came to the conclusion that football might be (and that would explain the reason so much unreasonable crazy money is spent for it) a metaphor of life and its deepest content.
This is how I felt:
- I felt a feeling of injustice. Colombia was playing so well, and yet they did not manage to get what they wanted (something similar to when you feel you have a talent in life and it goes completely unused).
- I felt angry towards England, because they were behaving and playing aggressively. This reminded me when at school some pupils would be aggressive towards me (some children are naturally mean to others, until they learn better social skills) and they would get away with it. Just as England did (I mean, this is a sport. I have had always tremendous difficulties being aggressive in sports, because I hate hurting people, even if by mistake).
- I felt powerless - there was nothing I could do to change the situation and make Colombia win.
At the end of the evening I was drained! And then I said to myself: wow, I felt so horrible and yet I'm not a huge football fan. I can hardly imagine how it feels for the real fans.
Somehow, the power of this sport, and sports in general, is that the outcome is so random that you cannot control it and it's going to hit you no matter how much effort you have put into it.
Think of penalties.. Penalties are a punishment. You behaved badly, you get punished. And the result of that punishment can be harsh, even though you might have done no wrong to anybody. This is LIFE! You go with it, with the bad, the good, the wonderful, the injustices.. A job that never arrives, a love that seems far away, great surprises that throw you off.
And the team. The team spirit and the the thrill of sharing something bigger together. Isn't this as well what life is about?
I let you wonder… Have a wonderful rest of the week!