Bite-Size Pieces.

Friday night I was held captive.  At least, that's what it felt like.

But this is what happens when your residence is on a college campus and an absolutely GINORMOUS tent is set up on the lawn just outside your window, welcoming back countless alums and students to celebrate their yearly tradition of reunion-ing.  More, when a booooooming microphone, speakers and countless AV aids are added to the mix, whatever is happening in that tent suddenly happens for you, too.  And like it is right in your living room in surround sound stereo.

Unfortunately I was sick on Thursday night.  So there I lay on my bed, coughing and sneezing but also simultaneously listening to the Athletics Director enthusiastically congratulate the many varsity student-athletes on their accomplishments over the past year right next to me under the "big top".  Yes, homies: the annual sports banquet was in full effect and I was, just by default, a captive audience.

I love sports.  I also know some people involved in Athletics here.  So as much as I would have loved a little peace and quiet to recover in, I also kind of liked being able to hear all of this talk about positive things going on when, honestly, I wasn't feeling all that positive because I was sick.

"Let's congratulate the National Field Hockey Champions," he announced at one point.  The crowd soared.

"Let's mark the importance of this student-athlete who made more shots than any other university player in history,"  he continued.  More applause.

"Let's honor this student-athlete for his excellence on and off the playing field," he praised.  Even more applause.

The list of accomplishments seemed never-ending.  Team after team and student-athlete after student-athlete were commended and praised for all they had done.  Stats were relayed and game-winning moments retold.  Highlight videos were played complete with inspirational, you-can-do-it background music swelling in the background.  It was less like a banquet and more like a motivational exercise.  And though I could barely breathe from my stupid summer cold, I suddenly felt inspired.  I wanted to ditch my bed, run up the Philadelphia Art Museum steps a la Rocky Balboa style with Jock Jams blaring behind me and pump my fists at the top knowing I had made my mark somehow, too!  YESSSSS!

But then I kind of laughed at myself and wondered...had I?  Had I done anything lately that warranted applause?

This is one of the reasons why I love sports so much: there is no question.  It is very cut and dry.  At any point, there is a winner and there are clearly defined ways to succeed.  You can make a shot, block a shot, run faster than anyone, tackle someone or do any of a number of other things to succeed in competition. And they are all very concrete things so as long as you do those things, you are moving forward and making progress.  And I DO like progress!

But off of the playing field, I find that life can at times be much less concrete.  Sure, you have some of the usual BIG milestones like going to college, getting a first job, finding the One, buying a house or having a baby, etc.  But what if you are not in the midst of doing any of those BIG things at this very moment?  Are you still succeeding in some way?  Or are you just sitting on the bench, waiting to get in the game?

In other words, in the game of life on a daily basis, how do you measure and mark your own success?  Is it truly a case of go BIG or go home?

For me, this topic is paramount.  And honestly when I think about it too much in my obsessive and Type A head of mine, it can sometimes get a little overwhelming.  Because, hey...this is my life and I want to fulfill my purpose.  Don't we all?  I know I don't want to look back and say, "I wish I had [ blank ]" over and over again as I examine my past.  Just like everyone, I want to get the "trophy", cross the finish line and win the prize, too.  To crave for more in your life--however "more" manifests itself to you--is only human.  My Mom always said, "This is not a dress rehearsal: this is it!"  So I think we all realize how time is truly of the essence.  Time to make it happen!

Deep breath.

Now, this is usually the point when my sister breaks in to my rant and says something insightful.  One of the best thoughts about life she conveyed was something our Mom used to say to her:  "Yard by yard, it's hard.  Inch by inch, it's a cinch."  And I really identify with that.  (And thank God for sisters!)  Life taken at full-view with all of the BIG milestones springing up like huge road signs in the distance can seem daunting and all a bit too much.  But broken up into more "bite-size" pieces, life to me seems much more palatable and possible.  I try to keep this in mind every time I get a little ahead of myself.

So hey, maybe you haven't met The One yet, but you fulfilled your goal of actually signing up for Match.com or just saying hello to that cute guy you pass on the way to school all of the time.  Guess what?  You have made your own milestone.  And maybe you are still struggling to find your life's work.  By updating your resume or just being honest with yourself that you want to change jobs at all, you just marked a milestone in your own small way that could lead to bigger things.  Like I said, bite-size pieces.

It's kind of like when I ran a half marathon down in Disney World.  They had us line up and we ran through the park in the dark with all of the park lights on.  Honestly, it was awesome!  But for me it was also a bit tough as I hurt my knee early in the race and I just wanted to finish.  They had these big Mickey Mouse ear mile markers noting each mile, quarter mile, half mile and three/quarters of a mile lined up along the route.  But as I passed one after the other, instead of feeling inspired, the 13.1 miles I was expected to complete just seemed daunting with my poor knee.  Fortunately that's when I started to notice the theme park characters they had along the road at certain points, too.  So as I continued to make my way, I would mark my progress by taking a quick picture with Pluto.  And then Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. And then Goofy.  It was hilarious and fun and just another way to mark my path.  I was so consumed with this game that I lost track of where I was until just before the finish line.  It was then that I took out my cell phone and called my brother to tell him I was about to complete the race.

"I did it!"  I yelled into the phone, ecstatic.  I hadn't set any kind of speed record or even done a complete marathon.  I had even injured myself in the process.  Still, I had taken it inch by inch and piece by piece. And I had still found my way.  Hope you do, too.

(Photo courtesy of thebigidea.co.nz )