Apologies…again! I have been MIA for a while. I didn’t want to write any blogs until I was in a positive mindset. The last thing any one needs right now is some stranger bleating about their struggles. It took a while and this week I am feeling good so figured it was a good time to begin again with this blogging malarkey.
I have so much to share with you all! Well, I say I have a lot to share, that isn’t technically true, however, I am going to give you some insights in to my mind. Hopefully by sharing these nuggets, it will bring a little laughter or a smile at least, to anyone who needs some light relief.
As you know, I play rugby for a local women’s team. At this point it is practically my whole identity. I play, I dream, I talk and I theorise about rugby.
A few weeks ago, I was ready to pack it all in. My main reason for starting to play has been accomplished to a degree. My main goal was for my children to get involved, make some new friends and learn the values of the game. Both the boy and girl are now members and training with their respective age groups. This does present a challenge, as our fixtures and training clash, which presented me with a standard parenting dilemma.
As a parent we all know that the children’s needs come first right? So it makes sense that I would need to stop playing so that they can learn, play and benefit from the friendships that would be created as a result.
Add to that an injury and a not particular great performance on my part and you get the picture. Im texting people enquiring about getting involved in other ways, arranging meetings etc. The first thing I was told at that meeting was “your not giving up playing, you have many years ahead of you” which was nice to hear. I’ll admit I’m not the best at accepting compliments, but when certain people tell you something you can’t help but listen and take notice.
I made a deal with myself that I would play one more game and see how I felt afterwards before making a decision. That game took place on Sunday and I felt amazing when that final whistle blew. I had a numb gluteus maximus, friction burns on my hands and the biggest sense of elation, even though we lost. It was fantastic.
I had made some awesome tackles, forced the opposition to knock the ball on, put them into touch so we regained possession, I had gathered the ball from the ground without knocking it on, followed that up with a run through the defensive line of the opposition, it took at least four of them to bring me to ground! I am that strong!! I had played my part and fulfilled my role brilliantly.
It really was a “I am woman, hear me roar” feeling. Since then I have had aches and pains all over. Yesterday I jumped out of the bed like a kangaroo jumping into action ready for the day. I felt good.
However, it would appear upon review of some photographic evidence that has surfaced, my brain may have misinterpreted some elements of what actually happened and created some false memories for me. For example, the four people that it took to bring me to the deck, appears that it may have just been one of the opposition forwards grabbing me from behind.
When I went to bed last night I expected to wake up bouncing like the kangaroo I was yesterday. That was not meant to be. I woke up this morning yelling, because my body had moved and every muscle was screaming at me. I’m pretty sure I resembled an upturned turtle today trying to get out of bed while screaming.
Have these realisations had any impact on my decision about my future playing this sport? Nope! Sorry kids, mummy is going to be making her games and training a priority and we will have to figure out a different compromise moving forward.
Do I still want to be involved in different ways with the club? Absolutely but I will have to juggle my time accordingly so I can still train and play with the Valkyries. I would miss them all too much if it ended now. Plus how many circumstances are there in life where you can run past a group of people screaming “Run Forrest” and it be perfectly acceptable. I really want to do that in a game at some point, I reckon the youngsters on the opposition will not have a clue.
I mean we are talking about a generation who do not know how to use a landline phone, the sounds of a modem dialling up, the noise electrical appliances made when you were about to receive a text message. They haven’t had to wait for much in their lives, we had to wait until 7.00 pm on a Sunday to know what the number one was that week and we had to wait for the designated time to watch children’s TV, unless you were rich, in which case you probably had Sky so you could watch Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network.
Our coaches are away on international duty at the moment, I wonder how many random 90’s reference I could get adopted as calls by the team. Maybe we could shout “Rugrats” to tell a ball carrier to go to ground so we can clear out the opposition at a ruck. Maybe we could use “Hey Arnold” as a kick call. Shout “Johnny Bravo” and the team strike a pose, looking at you my fellow backs. Even better, shout “Dogma” for a blitz defence!! Oh no, now I’m going to be thinking about that, driving my husband nuts with my giggling until I fall asleep. If anyone else has any random 90s references they want to share feel free.
I find when I am feeling down, normally music helps to lift my mood. Some decent nostalgic music generally motivates me, but it has come to my attention today that everything has an expiration date. Today I was listening to Buck Rogers by Feeder, a classic in my book from my teenage years, it has dawned on me that it is highly unlikely CD players are even installed in modern cars.
Technological advances have made CD players defunct. Today’s learner drivers will not understand the struggle, of choosing your top ten CDs, to be placed in the holder on your sun visor for your first ever road trip. An essential right of passage in my book, it taught me a valuable lesson about patience, as well as the need to have something suitable for every possible mood.
In other news, I have been keeping myself entertained on the school run, by thinking of games to play by myself. I saw a lollipop man the other day and for some reason, I began thinking about how strange life would be, if you had to explain your job without telling people what your job title was. Wouldn’t that be hilarious if society decided that was the way forward.
In fact, there are many things that can brighten someone’s day a little, which don’t require revolution or revolt by the masses. A simple smile exchanged with a stranger, or a text exchange with some friends. Sometimes the simple act of reaching out,to let them know that you are there to help catch them and pull them to safety can be enough. Particularly for others out there like me,who withdraw a little when times are challenging.
For anyone out there who has had, or is going through a tough time at the moment, unfortunately I do not have much to offer. All I have are words. Words like, I’m sorry or I’m here, just call if you need me, however, I’m not going to use any of those.
Instead, I am going to set you a challenge. The challenge is to find some absurdity in every day to laugh or smile about. Once you have found it, share the experience with someone close to you. No person or situation is off limits. I regularly find myself giggling to myself at innocent comments, made by strangers, coaches, team mates, animals and even my children.
After all it could be worse, I could be the concussed seagull that was flying around town the other day, because the ball used to convert a try landed on its head. That seagull not only had me laughing, but can you imagine him going to meet his mates later trying to explain where the egg on his head came from.
Seagull 1: “Oi oi, here’s Sidney, looks like Vanessa got fed up with minding the eggs and sent him out with one for the night”
Sidney: “Nah mate, you got it all wrong! You won’t believe what happened to me! I was over at that club minding my own business, on the lookout for some chips or a pasty, when out of nowhere this giant egg fell out of the sky!”
Seagull 1: “ Oh whatever, your pulling my leg Sidney”
Sidney: “ Honest mate, I thought we were being invaded by ostriches! No idea where it came from, but I got out of there as quick as I could. Thought it best not to hang about just in case”
Seagull 1: “That’s enough Sidney! You know Terence has a fear of big bird. It’s alright Terence, don’t listen to Sid, you know what he’s like”
Poor Sidney, but it’s still a funny thought.
Find the absurdity in life and you may surprise yourself with what you discover, the impact that can have on you and those around you. That’s what I try and do. That’s why I’m the funniest person I know, right? It won’t fix everything, but it may help lighten the load for a while to enable you to breathe a little.
Mumma Bear Roars 