Love & Basketball

Scene-ario 1
The 1995-1996 season was my senior year of high school basketball. I had looked forward to my senior year of high school basketball for a long time. I had lifted, ran, shot a lot of jumpers, and played pick up games year round for several years in preparation for my senior year of basketball. When I was in grade school I even dreamed about playing varsity basketball. When the fall of 1995 finally came I was anticipating a good year both personally and as a team. The leading scorer from our rival high school had transferred to our team and the juniors that were coming up to the varsity team were very talented. On paper we had the perfect team. We had size, we had shooters, we had ball handlers, we had it all... on paper. On paper we should have went undefeated. On paper we should have won the conference. We should have contended for the state championship...on paper. However, we were missing something. We were missing "it." We didn't have the right chemistry. We were only good on paper.
Relationships are sometimes the same way. We prepare for them. We are excited about them. And sometimes they look and feel really good... on paper. We have a lot in common, we have similar interests and passions, we even have mutual friends. We seem to be perfect for each other...on paper. But maybe we're just missing something. Maybe we're missing "it." Maybe we didn't have the right chemistry. Maybe we were only good "on paper." You feelin me?
Scene -ario 2
My senior year in high school one of my good friends that I had went to school with and played basketball with since 5th grade got cut from the team as a senior. He had always been our point guard, but our senior year he got cut from the team. The thing that made it hard was that he pretty much thought it was a given that he was going to be on the team. I mean he had the talent and the ability. Again, on paper he should have made the team, but he got cut! He was frustrated. He was angry. He even cussed.
Sometimes in relationships we "get cut." We thought it was a done deal. We thought we were "on the team." We thought we had what it took, but we got cut. It seemed great on paper, but we got cut. We get frustrated. We get angry. We even cuss. You feelin me?
Scene-ario 3
Sometimes after you "get cut" you don't want to "play the game" any more, at least for a while. You kind of need to take some time off to regroup. You put yourself "on the bench" so to speak. You "watch the game from the sidelines." The time of this "off season" varies, and often coincides with how sure you were that you were "on the team." After a while you get the urge to get back in the game. Sometimes it takes a call from "another team" inviting you to try out. Or sometimes a talent scout tells you you're once again "good enough" to "make a team." But regardless of what it takes, most athletes want to make a team. They want to finally be on a winning team with one special teammate. And that is what keeps them motivated to "stay in shape." You feelin me? Can I get an Amen?