And then you say goodbye to all the people that have been your family, knowing full well that this little microcosm of fantasy will never happen again. Not with these exact people or with this same dynamic. *sadface*
You know, soccer was like that for me, especially college soccer. Every year the roster changed. Every year, when the magic was over, we all cried because we'd only hoped to have one last game, one last practice together because we all knew that when it was over, we'd never have that same group of people again. It was four months of the most intense, focused, amazing, hard, depressing, joyful, exciting and tough experiences of our lives, all together, and when the whistle blew for the last time signaling the end of the season, there was a part of each of us that mourned it - a lot of us openly with tears.
It's especially poignant for seniors. You know it's the last time you will ever have that, the last time you'll ever be that in shape, the last time you'll ever play at that level of competition, the last time that soccer will ever consume your life this much. So many lasts. It took me almost a year not to be melancholy when I heard songs from our warm-up CD on the radio, of when I saw pictures of that magical time when there was a synergy and family that I loved so much. As a senior graduating from college, likely never to play soccer again except for light, recreational purposes (the sport messed up my back. I was recruited to play semi-pro, but if I want to be able to pick up my kids someday, then I needed to stop and take it easy), it was the mourning of 18 years of time dedicated to excellence in something that I'll probably never do quite the same way ever again.
I TOTALLY know what you're talking about and I give LOTS of *SMOOSHES* to you, Miss Carrie. *loves*
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You know, soccer was like that for me, especially college soccer. Every year the roster changed. Every year, when the magic was over, we all cried because we'd only hoped to have one last game, one last practice together because we all knew that when it was over, we'd never have that same group of people again. It was four months of the most intense, focused, amazing, hard, depressing, joyful, exciting and tough experiences of our lives, all together, and when the whistle blew for the last time signaling the end of the season, there was a part of each of us that mourned it - a lot of us openly with tears.
It's especially poignant for seniors. You know it's the last time you will ever have that, the last time you'll ever be that in shape, the last time you'll ever play at that level of competition, the last time that soccer will ever consume your life this much. So many lasts. It took me almost a year not to be melancholy when I heard songs from our warm-up CD on the radio, of when I saw pictures of that magical time when there was a synergy and family that I loved so much. As a senior graduating from college, likely never to play soccer again except for light, recreational purposes (the sport messed up my back. I was recruited to play semi-pro, but if I want to be able to pick up my kids someday, then I needed to stop and take it easy), it was the mourning of 18 years of time dedicated to excellence in something that I'll probably never do quite the same way ever again.
I TOTALLY know what you're talking about and I give LOTS of *SMOOSHES* to you, Miss Carrie. *loves*