hitting the mark

the soccer field across the street is a constant cackle of activity. this morning, before i got out of bed, the grown-up team was playing a match. this early evening, there are families, coaches, big brothers helping young players improve their moves.

on the south end of the field closest to my window there are four bright-orange cones. They're set up in pairs on opposite edges of the field. Goals. One pair has apparently been growing in affinity for each other, as they are now much closer together than the last time i looked.

"what a great way to develop the skill of getting the ball to go where you want it to go," i thought. You start out with a wide goal, and gradually decrease its width, increasing the necessity for focus and attention to the results of one's kick--the angle of your swing, the part of the foot that hits the ball, the part of the ball that hits your foot, and surely innumerable other possible variations that the master knows how to control in order to achieve the desired effect.

kinda like sin.

the good news is that we all get on the team, as long as we're willing to pledge loyalty to the coach and the owner--and there's no use trying to fool them, because they know whether or not you're loyal without playing The Firm's nasty games.

but just 'cause we're on the team doesn't mean we get to play. The ones who get to play--who get to show their stuff against the enemy--they're the ones who have practiced, who have learned to kick the ball between a narrower and narrower gap between the cones.

the good news is that you're on the team--and the consequence of not playing well is not humiliation or rejection, but the demand for greater discipline for the sake of becoming a better player, of being more fully a part of the team, of playing more excellently your position.

the good news is that the coach is the best around, and he doesn't give standardized tests. he has the time, energy, and support from the Upper Administration to craft specialized tests for each player, designed to reveal what's lacking, challenge to a higher level, and reward where the hard work has paid off. He's good like that.

funny to be acclaiming a game as such a grand metaphor of the kingdom, me, the indecisive artist. well, good news is happening out my window. if i hope a soccer player will find meaning in my art, it's only fair for me to seek meaning in his sport, eh?

grace is sprouting across my street. it's beautiful.