Double teamed

I watched the Thunder basketball game on Friday night and plan to watch it today.  Which is very unlike me because I have never liked Basketball.  Didn’t like it in High School, College and definitely not the NBA.   Probably couldn’t name any famous basketball players.  But, my latest online guy said I should watch it and so I did.  And found it very entertaining and actually jumped up out of my recliner a couple of times to fist pump the air.  (no alcohol involved!)  I got caught up in the excitement of the competition.  Until they got pretty far behind and then I was bummed out. 

Are the referees just really small men or is it because the basketball players are so tall that they look so small?  That was the first thing I noticed. 

The little I do know about basketball comes from watching my nephew play a few times and asking my sister questions about the scoring, etc.  Neither of my sons liked basketball so it was just something I never really got into.   The announcers kept saying something about this one player needing to be guarded better and the expression double team him kept coming up.

I had heard that expression before but didn’t realize it was an actual basketball defensive term.  I had heard it used in the context of 2 people ganging up on someone.  Which is basically what happens in the game.  It’s much harder to get the job done and score when 2 people are blocking your path.

It made me think of times in my life where I felt double-teamed.  Sometimes it was not people that necessarily double teamed me.  Last year when I really wanted to go on the mission trip to Honduras for example, my finances and my health issues teamed up to keep me from going.  A few years ago when I really wanted to try my hand at comedy, my fear of failure and lack of opportunity held me back.   Moving to Austin would be a possibility if my age (because to change jobs at 52 is a little scary..not to mention the fact that I love my job) and my financial situation weren’t such roadblocks.  Moving closer to my family in the OKC area has the same issues. 

There have been times in my life where I got around the obstacles that blocked me. When I went back to school for example.  Time and energy were my obstacles then.  Having 2 teenagers at home, a full time job, and a broken heart that zapped my energy I wasn’t sure I could manage it.  But I did.  It was important enough to me that I pushed through the barriers and made that dream come true.

Life is about finding ways around the barriers that hold you back.  The disappointment of my diabetes doctor saying the heat and isolation of Honduras might make me the “mission” motivated me to get serious about my health issues.  I was headed down the wrong path, toward insulin dependence.  All the while with my doctor telling me if I would exercise, lose weight and pay attention to my body that I could restore my good health.  The weight loss journey is a result of that.  Oh, looking better is certainly a bonus and feeling good about myself will be a huge plus…but my motivation came from being double teamed by diabetes and high blood pressure keeping me from what I wanted to do.

With the comedy, the opportunity presented itself in the form of a talent show.  Once that barrier was gone and the only factor holding me back from scoring was my own fear of failure, I surrounded myself with friends that would support me (and promised to laugh even if the crowd didn’t) and got on the stage and did it.  And those few moments have changed my life.  I have found something I am passionate about, that makes me happy, and that makes other people happy even if for a few minutes.

Today I am going to dig out my bucket list and take a look at what's on my list that I still haven’t accomplished.  I’m going to examine the barriers that have held me back.  I refuse to be double teamed, triple teamed, or even blocked by one obstacle.  I am going on the offensive and finding a way to score despite the obstacles. 

Go Thunder!