Shock Absorbers

“Nothing’s so loud as hearing when we lie…”

Anti-vibration devices for tennis have been around since the 1960’s. Many tennis players believe the use of vibration dampeners, also known as shock absorbers, reduce vibrations and change the feel of contact between the ball and racquet. Some tennis players also believe placing a shock absorber on the strings allows for more flexibility and reduces the chance of tennis elbow injuries. Actual research suggests there is no link between tennis elbow and the absence of a shock absorber, but they sure do look cool on the racquet. Many come in different shapes, colors and sizes (I prefer the Wilson “W”). Homemade shock absorbers are also effective in creating that mental and psychological comfort most players seek. Think rubber bands only have a use in the office?

What about the human shock absorber? Last week, I witnessed a terrible car accident on the way home from work. I drove by, on the other side of the road, just as it was happening and saw people rushing out of their vehicles to comfort the people involved in the crash. One SUV was completely flipped over and the other car was so smashed in it had to have been totaled. Strangers were running to their aid, helping the victims absorb the shock and damage of the accident. The image I still can’t get out of my head was of the man, in shock, sobbing in the arms of a woman who rushed to his side. She was his shock absorber in that moment. Who is your shock absorber? Have you ever altered the sound of vibration or prevented the shock of impact for another?

“The air outside so soft is saying everything, everything.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqBnu-w8Bcs

Suffering

“By your plan, that’s just the way it is”

I suffered a tough break in the summer after fifth grade when I broke my wrist on the softball field. In a small way, I always felt that injury became a symbol of my suffering in years to come. The scar on my left wrist is a reminder—a reminder of my physical suffering and my suffering as a player who just wanted to swim and play ball with the rest of the All-Stars that summer. It’s an unpleasant reminder of how cruel and unfair life can be to those who don’t deserve to suffer. My experience in a cast, with a broken left wrist, paved the way for my ability to face trials. I reflect on that sometimes, especially on damp days when I feel a twinge of sharp pain in my wrist. I reflect, thinking how I was always so careful and meticulous in most things. Pitching a softball was no exception. It was an art I strove to perfect. Injuries and illnesses can damage our egos. They can change our perceptions and feelings. They can alter the way we approach certain areas in life. The outcomes from our sufferings bleed into our tomorrow.

With Lenten season in full swing, it seems appropriate to talk about penance, suffering and reflection. Penance---for those acts deserving a show of sorrow for sin. Suffering—for our personal trials and those who need healing. Reflection—on today, yesterday and always. When I broke my wrist, it was like my forty days of Lenten fasting. I was forced to be humble with a broken bone and reduced play time. Lent is a time for humbling ourselves. Who greater a model of humiliation than Jesus? Jesus, the suffering servant himself. There has been a lot of suffering, at home and abroad, the past few weeks. The turmoil in Crimea has needlessly caused many innocent and undeserving people to suffer. Last week, I found out a member of my church’s congregation passed away. And just today I learned that one of my dearest friends is suffering.

Sports are a great reminder that everything achievable is grievously surrendered. Every achievement ends.  Perhaps not in suffering or injury, but it ends. Even Derek Jeter’s days as a baseball player will come to a close. And as morbid and depressing as all this sounds, it’s a clear reminder to me about the meaning of Lent. Lent is about self-punishment, envisioning the end and reflecting on the joy as well as the suffering. It is so much akin to sports because sports are a circuit for all of these things too. With my healed left wrist clasped to my right, this Lenten season I am praying for the people who suffer.

“In the good times and bad, You are on your throne”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xPzTSpbYmk