They say you shouldn’t be sad something is over – you should smile because it happened.
I can appreciate that, but I’m still a little melancholy today that last weekend’s Illinois state lacrosse tournament is over. I started covering the season back in late February for the Daily Herald, and over time, I covered a LOT of lacrosse matches, both boys and girls, all over DuPage County. That included the playoffs and everything that led up to state last weekend.
Of course, state is the big event – there’s the pomp and circumstance, the first-class accoutrements provided by the Illinois High School Association and Hinsdale Central High School (the host school), and great matches. I wrote six stories in three days – here’s one of them, the big matchup between Neuqua Valley boys and Glenbard West on Saturday.
Over the past two years, I’ve grown very fond of not just the sport, but the PEOPLE involved with it…the players and coaches, for sure, but there’s also the parents, administrators and fans, even referees. It’s like this little community, and this community accepted me as one of its own. They make me feel vibrant, needed…important.
I belong. And isn’t that what everyone is searching for? Belonging, that is?
I’m melancholy because that community essentially dissolves until next year. Sure, I’ll talk from time to time to people in that community, but it’s not the same. And as we all know, who knows what the future will bring. Things can change in a New York Minute.
U2 has a song from its October album, Is That All? I’m listening to it right now. A total jam, but the sentiment underscores what I’m feeling presently:
Sing me a song that makes me happy/And I’ll be happy with you/Sing me a song that makes me dance
Is that all?
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