Risk of Sports

If your body is prepared and warmed up, if your brain is prepared, if you are able to focus and at times relax, you can benefit from sports participation.  Some sports with no physical contact can be lifelong activities, like golf and swimming.  Many sports, however, require physical contact, and more risk is involved in sustaining injuries, like boxing and football.  Some injuries may affect the rest of the athlete's life.

Most people are aware of the positive aspects of sports, but aren't mindful of the negatives.  Athletes and parents of young athletes need to weigh the positive with the negative.  Perhaps another less risky sport or physical activity would be better in the long run.

Parents may believe their young athletes will receive the benefits of the sport.  They also may enjoy watching the accomplishments of their offspring.  Plus the athletes often get adulation from their peers.  The possibiity of financial benefits from scholarships, college play, or turning pro is very slim.

Participation in sports is one thing; being a fan or spectator is another.  Vast amounts of money is made from ticket sales to sponsorships.  So the value of many sports rests on how much money is made from the spectators.  Many of the more popular spectator sports involve physical contact team sports, almost like a substitute for battle.  Often the possiblity of the damage to the athletes is ignored.

One leads to another.  Sports most enjoyed by spectators may be the ones young people want to play. 

  

CONNECTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

  

 Make connections to prevent or solve issues and problems.  Connections can also help create something new.  Getting the perspective of another person can help you define your own.  Businesses are realizing how connectional intelligence can improve their workforce relationships while setting and reaching goals.   Connections with media and technology can also be improved. This type of intelligence can benefit individuals to improve their relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and other groups.

Make better connections through conversations, face-to-face, over the phone or on the computer.  Listen as much or more than your speak.  Discover what you have in common and what the other person likes to talk about.  Ask questions.

Make better connections by writing letters (yes, people still do that) sending emails, texts or through social media. Tell about your everyday life.  Let them know you are interested in them.  Ask questions. Take your time.  Texting is usually brief but better than nothing.  Often details are omitted.  Even if you don't get a timely response, keep writing.  Respond to communication sent to you.  

The younger generation thinks they know about communicating and they may know more about technology.  They may know about face-t-face conversations with friends and their peer group, but they may need practice in talking to those of different generations especially their parents, grandparents, and other family members.  They will also need to develop business skills going out into the workforce.  As a parent or grandparent, remember to listen as much or more than you speak.  Honor other opinions; don't expect your children to always agree with you.  Show them how to think.  Be a good example. 

Develop your Connectional Intelligence.   

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

Nature confines us inside our bodies, but our minds can take us beyond that confinement.  We can reach out and touch other people with our bodies and our thoughts.  We can use our senses to listen, speak, read, and write.  Communicating our thoughts and opinions should be balanced with considering the thoughts and opinions of others.  

Some confinement is beyond our control.   Physically, it is almost impossible to experience the life of another person and other people cannot experience ours.  Empathizing helps.  Desiring to understand can benefit both parties.

We may consciously or unconsciously allow others to impose a confinement upon us like parents, peers, priests or pastors, professors, and politicians.  Their thoughts and opinions become ours often without question.  Many influencers believe they are doing it for our own good or are opening our minds to their truth; however, they may be inhibiting us from thinking on our own.  

Other types of confinement are self-imposed.  We can take our bodies and our minds into another place, another location, another way of thinking, but we must decide to do it.  Comfort and a sense of security may come with agreeing with those we love and admire, but we may be giving up our own potential to find our own truth.

Media can contribute to confinement..  When we limit our sources of information especially to those that confirm our already formed biases, a type of mental isolation can form.  We need to back up our opinions with good "arguments," listen to the opposition, and form calm, nonjudgemental expression.  We might not be able to persuade or change the minds of others, but perhaps we can expand our own thinking.    

Don't sentence yourself to solitary confinement.

RELATIONSHIPS

Dating, committed to each other, engaged, married, all these stages of relationships can add joy and love to your life.  Not all is easy; the more serious, the more effort if takes to make things work. 

A good relationship begins when each individual is a complete person.  Having emotional maturity, personal goals, and at least having a plan toward financial independence is beneficial.  Work on yourself as much as you work on the relationship.  Know your strong points and admit to your shortcomings.  As each person grows and improves, the relationship can evolve.  The next step in forming a good relationship is a balance of power;  one person should not be dominant making the other dependent.  Understanding each other is paramount, plus knowing how to discuss each others's needs and to compromise when advisable.  

Having a variety of relationships before forming a committed relationship is a good idea.  Casual dating can then lead to a more serious relationship.  You can learn which qualities you like in a person and which you don't.   Beware when a person irritates you; this personality trait may never change or even get worse.  Admit when a relationship needs to be dissolved.  Each one of you can have a chance to make a better match.

Being romantic too soon can cloud perspective.  You can be physically attracted to many people, but get to know each other before going too far.  Some say love is blind which often rings true.

Enjoy each other as you take each step in building a relationship.  

  

           

DAWN

 Dawn arrives when your part of the earth rotates to face the sun.  A short time ago all was darkness.  The sun brings light to all of nature.   The rooster crows and the animal kingdom awakens; so do most of us.

When something dawns on you, your mind comes out of the darkness of misunderstanding.  Light begins to shine on the truth.  Nature's way and logical thinking enlighten your life. 

Open up your mind and let the sunshine in. 

NO ONE'S NUMBER ONE

 I'm no one's number one anymore.  I don't have a one and only.  For many years, I was his number one, companion, friend, partner, and wife.  He was my one and only, my companion, friend, partner, and husband. We were a couple, a twosome.  Then he was gone, not of his choosing or mine, but illness and death took him away.

No one to remember our days and nights together, the fun of college, the first years of marriage, the birth of our children, tables for two at our favorite restaurants, having simple meals at home, car trips and vacations.  Only I have those memories now.

 When I wake up in the morning, he's not here.  When I go to bed at night, he's not here.  When I want the look in his eyes, the sound of his voice, his smile, his touch, he's not here.  No one can replace him.  I now must live alone.  I'm no one's number one anymore.

Many spouses will come to this time of life, to survive and go forward with a new plan, perhaps to sell a home and downsize, to decide where to live, to live alone perhaps for the first time since before marriage.  Some may wish to live with family; some may not.

 Our children lost a parent.  They loved him and miss him too.  They may be your only attachment to your spouse.  But it is difficult for them to understand how you feel.  Most of our children still have their one and only and children of their own.  Their two generational family is their priority.  Our culture does not encourage multigenerational families to live together.  It expects widows and widowers to remain independent as long as they remain healthy, not to live with their grown children, that this is best for  everyone.  We must honor our children's feelings and appreciate the time and attention they give us.   We will still be a part of the family.    

DON'T TAKE THE HEAT

Too much heat from the sun is damaging our environment; too much heat from other people can damage our thinking.  The natural protective layer of our atmosphere is being damaged by human behavior.   Our thinking is being damaged by misinformation and manipulation.  Humans have the scientific knowledge and logical thinking to combat the heat.  If a crime has been committed, we may deserve to face the heat of justice.  If we have done something harmful to someone, we must take the heat, feel guilt, face the consequences, and try to make things right.  If someone has caused us emotional stress, we may have to learn to live with it. Sometimes we can let the person know and try to resolve the problem; sometimes we may choose to tolerate the stress or refuse to let it upset us.

In many situations, we may feel the heat from  groups or individuals.  We can feel pressure to behave as others wish, to agree with what others think.  Sometimes we stay quiet.  Many people don't want to hear or aren't ready to hear an opposing opinion because they are so sure they are right.  They prefer confirmation bias, to hear what they already believe.  

What to do when your opinions differ from the majority, from your peer group, parents, or other family members?  The choice is yours.  Try to find like-minded friends.  Keep an open mind; let your opinions evolve.  Protect yourself from being bullied to change your mind.  Be strong and stand up for yourself.  Don't take the heat.