The Point of Life

"What is the point of life? If you believe the point of life is to watch, play, and/or participate in the playing of childrens games than thats great, think about it, you must watch a lot of television" --Anonymous

This comment was made to me today by someone in response to my "Sports, Sports, Sports" entry. For some reason, I felt the need to respond. Some people just don't get me. They don't get my life - or my life style. Let me dissect and explain each question posed to me and give everyone some insight. I will leave the "Point of Life" question for the end.

" If you believe the point of life is to watch, play, and/or participate in the playing of childrens games than thats great," - Obviously, this is sarcasm. I like sports - particularly football. I played football for about 8 or so years, through high school. After my senior season, I tore my ACL and decided to not risk further injury playing in college. From a distance, I can see how someone cannot appreciate the subtleties of the game - the strategies, the mind game. I enjoy these things. I enjoy watching a guard pull down the line for a kickout block to spring a runner. I love watching analysis, and learning more of the complexities.

The good thing about sports is that it has many levels. You don't have to be an expert to enjoy a game. You don't have to know what a "Cover 2" defense is, or a "Zone Blitz." You can enjoy it when the team I like tackles the other team. The excitement behind it is real. People invest themselves in their teams. People take a sense of pride. Sports is a welcome distraction from the rest of the world. Everyone knows that when a game is over, the world's issues - the war in Iraq, the kidnappings, the murders, the confirmation of a Secretary of State - will still be there. And for a few hours, you can be bonded with thousands of people rooting for the same team. In October, do you think you had to know someone in Boston to celebrate the Red Sox win? Nope. Complete strangers will high-five each other, clap, and cheer with one another. This is a huge appeal of sports. The other is that people thrive on competition.

Playing games is a part of life. Some overtly play games like cards, or Trivial Pursuit. Some play video games. Then there are others who play different games like in relationships, or in positioning themselves for a raise. The funny thing is the overt games can be seen as "children's games" while the other ones, I guess, are supposed to be more adult. If that's the case then, yes, I enjoy children's games much more than the other kind. I will play and dance and sing and make funny faces and have fun whatever I do. And I plan to hold on to my childish side forever. I consider "childish" a compliment.

"...you must watch a lot of television." That's true. I do watch a lot of television. If that were the only thing I did, then that would, indeed, be sad. Fortunately for me I have other outlets. I have shows that I like, and some that I like and don't like to admit it. But I am entertained by a variety of shows and/or movies. I don't feel like I have to defend this, so I won't spend too much time on it.

So the question is - "what is the point of life?" I think it would be naive of me, or anyone, to think that all life has one single point. For some, there is a religious aspect and serving God is their point of life. For others, making money is the point of life. Some people think that learning as much as possible is the point of life, or traveling, or simply staying alive as long as you can... For me, being happy is the point. I respect everyone else's personal point of life. They may live their lives how they please - unless it adversly effects my point of life. I just like being happy.

I love my life right now. I am in a good spell and have been for a while. A lot of people search for thrills - I don't have to. Each and every day I wake up next to the most perfect woman for me gives me the thrill of a lifetime. I get to experience that every day. I don't have to jump out of a plane to get it. Some people search for love - I don't have to. I am surrounded, not only by my fiancee, but I receive unconditional love from my three pets. I have a tremendous family and know I always have their support. Some people search for money - I don't have to. No, I'm not a millionaire... not even close. But I don't need it. I don't concern myself with excess. As long as we can make enough to sustain the lifestyle we currently have, I'm fine. Some people search for adventure - I don't have to. I find adventure in the small things - in the decision to move away from West Virginia for a job that I know little about, in mishaps that come along in everyday activities, in the every decision that matters in life.

I don't have a perfect life. No one does. I have bills, and problems just as much as the next person. I think that the way I go about dealing with them lends to my point of life. I don't focus on what other people have that I don't - because that would mean my focus isn't on enjoying what I do have.

No one on their deathbed thinks "I should have spent more time on the Abrahms account." They will remember the time when they took a red wagon and tied it to their bike and put their little brother in it. They will think about the time when they went with their older brother and their father to a Steelers playoff game; and the Jimmy Buffett concerts they attended with their brothers. They will remember going to an amusement park and being frightened by the characters in the costumes and needing their mommy. They will remember the ski trips with their dad, and unknowingly learning to play sports right-handed rather than left-handed; the way they were born; the 1 point loss in the playoffs, and their first love. They will remember playing music in a smoky bar for no money, but only for the joy of playing music with a good friend. They will remember seeing a woman sitting on the stoop in a white tank-top and green shorts and thinking that they wanted to make her happy, and taking the chance to do so. They will remember going to their older brother's Little League baseball games and their younger brother's cross country meets, and almost being brought to tears when each succeeded. They will remember their mother's face when they gave her the perfect gift, and their father's face when you hit a perfect golf shot. They will remember standing in the crowd and praying that the punt won't be blocked, and the time when Major Harris took a broken play and scored on Penn State; the long talks at 2:00am just by her car; the nights of reciting Chris Rock with their college roommate. They will remember waking up at 6:30 am to tailgate for a WVU game with friends for an 8:00pm kickoff, and going to see the "Lion King" broadway show in Pittsburgh, and the time when a swimmer they coached named them the person they admire most. They will remember vacations and building a huge sand turtle with their brothers; being snowed in with the girl in the white tank-top; holding their nephew for the first time; and the moments at 5:00am when they made a great friend through MS Excel. They will remember Barry Sanders' 2014, and the happiness of Bill Buckner's error; and the sadness of the loss to Notre Dame in '88. They will remember sleeping in their younger brother's room on Christmas Eve and being so excited that they talked and made jokes all night; walking through the front door to the welcoming furry faces of two cats and a dog. They will remember proposing to that woman in the white tank-top... and praying that she would say "yes." And the overwhelming happiness when she did.

The point is that the happiness of my interactions with the people I love is my point of life. I feel sorry for those who haven't found theirs yet. Hopefully they will. I like my interactions and memories, and I look forward to having more of them. I am happy with that. And isn't that really the point?