Basketball is life
'So many times you see the assumption that the success you achieve is who you are and not just a payoff for what you do.'
I was listening to a basketball podcast while doing dishes (a favorite pastime of mine) one night this week when I heard one of the co-hosts drop a few lines that stopped me in my tracks:
One of the most dangerous things in this league is the assumption of success. You can never assume that what worked one year is going to automatically carry over and work the next. So many times you see the assumption that the success you achieve is who you are and not just a payoff for what you do.
This wasn't meant to be a profound moment, and the conversation about a middling NBA team simply carried on from there. But I took a beat to soak it in a bit, and I began thinking about what it could mean for my life as a parent.
On one hand, the application was pretty clear: What worked for me as a parent last year probably isn't going to work as well this year, if only because my child is growing at a rapid pace, one that necessitates constantly evolving strategies, ideas and insights. But I pondered if I had begun to draw too much of my confidence in who I am or have been told I am – a "good" father, perhaps – and whether I've fooled myself into thinking that my success as a parent is tied up in that instead of what I do each moment, each day.
I don't think I do this very much, if at all. My self-loathing usually won't allow it. But I've been chewing on this thought all week. If nothing else, I've appreciated the reminder that success as a parent isn't about what you did well yesterday or who you think you've been so far; it's about what you're doing, what you're fighting for right now, today.
Things I have thoughts about:
- "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia": I've loved this show ever since it hit the small screen in 2015, but I only recently caught myself up on the last two seasons. For the past couple weeks, I've started to watch episodes from the first season again here and there while folding laundry, etc., and I'm thoroughly getting a nostalgic kick out of it. The show isn't for everyone (it's crass, cynical and shouty), but I appreciate its ability to skillfully talk about touchy topics with wit, humor and perspective. And it's just a plain riot.
- Getting sick: I got a bit ill shortly before Thanksgiving and didn't turn the corner until a couple days ago. 0/10 would not recommend. Kind of a tangent, but I remember the first time I got sick from eating Brie's leftovers a few weeks after she started preschool last year, and that sucked big time. I was ailing for 2-3 solid weeks. To this day, I usually avoid eating her leftovers (especially during the colder months), which really hurts my sense of frugality.
- Weighted blankets: We got a weighted blanket as a Christmas gift a couple years ago, but it was a bit too heavy for Virginia's liking. She's currently out of town, so I decided to try the weighted blanket on my own and...I like it so far. I'm curious to see if I continue liking it, in which case I'll have to find a path to compromise when my bed companion returns.
Things Brie has enjoyed lately:
- Racing: She wants to be "first" whenever we move to another part of the house. And if I somehow wind up there first (when she gets distracted or if I have to do something right away), she gets upset and wants to start over. It's still in the cute phase, and I hope I don't get tired of it.
- Reading Korean books with Grandma: We went over to Grandma's place for dinner last night, and as we were heading to the car, Brie said she wanted to bring Korean books so her Grandma could read them to her. So I gladly packed a bag with some books we ordered from KoreanKidsBooks.com. Brie loved reading them with Grandma after dinner. (And, I dare say, I think Brie's Korean pronunciation has somehow gotten better lately.)
- "Maisy Goes on a Plane": During our last library trip, Brie wanted to borrow "Maisy Goes on a Plane." I hadn't seen the Maisy series before, but I thought this book was perfect to read before our upcoming vacation. It's a cute story about a mouse who takes an airplane to visit her friend Ella. I love that it walks little readers through the ins and outs of traveling by plane (checking in at the airport, finding your seat on the plane, lining up for the bathroom on the plane, etc.).
Brie loves the book already. After breakfast this morning, she organized our dining room chairs into rows of airplane seats and spent close to an hour pretending she was taking a plane ride with her stuffed friends (trips to the bathroom included). It was adorable.
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