Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Laughter (10/18/04)
TITLE: Laughter Sometimes Strained By Carol Dee Meeks 10/22/04 |
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season once more, my family goes in different directions. We
all root for the Big Twelve Conference. That is the conference
that stretches from Texas up through Nebraska. My oldest son
thinks the Cornhuskers of Nebraska are the only team around. My
youngest son lives in Colorado and bleeds gold blood for his
Buffalos. I root for the Oklahoma Sooners, and my husband roots
for them also, to keep peace with me.
We email back and forth on Mondays after weekend games.
When all three teams win, it’s a happy day as laughter seeps
through and across the lines of technology. We’re really O.K.
until our teams start playing each other. Then, the emails
become shorter and smiley faces wear tears.
The Sooners are a team of good fortune. They have been
graced with the most success, at least, for the last several
years. My boys didn’t laugh when Oklahoma was crowned the best
in 2002, even for the sake of their mom’s favorite team. They
just prayed for a basketball and hockey season to make their
debuts.
I’m learning that my laughter is too loud and boastful for
their wounded hearts when the Sooners win. It’s been a while
since Nebraska or Colorado won a National Championship, and this
is serious business. When you bleed gold for your team, and
only watch for The Big Red, this is a serious fanfare. After
some real soul searching, because I still want them to keep in
touch, I added this verse to the bottom of my emails. In
Proverbs 14:13, it says, “Even in laughter the heart may sorrow,
and the end of mirth may be grief.”
Because few teams win back to back titles and hoping my
laughter for that 2002 championship was not short-lived, I did
not have the nerve to tell them “they Sooner need a new team,”
I want them to stay in touch.
This year is different. We’re not as serious. But the
season is fresh and Oklahoma’s record is still untarnished.
I’ll hold my laughter down. January may bring a frown then I’ll
Sooner wait till next year like my sons are doing now.