Let me begin by saying this is never an article I envisioned I would ever have to write.
There are times in the world where we, the fans, lose sight of what is important in the world. We become so obsessed with free-agency signings, poor performances, wins, losses and lockouts that we forget that the games we become so obsessed with our merely that: games.
We clamor for the big-name player, victories, championships and heroes. We at times consider selling all of our possessions just for the opportunity to gain access to a ticket to the big game.
We put things like key games, playoffs, and sports rumors in front of what really matters: friends, family—our loved ones.
Yesterday was one of those days that truly helps put the world into perspective, making us realize that there are scarier things in the world than losing a game. When we realize how trivial one game seems in comparison to a life. What is more difficult to imagine is that it wasn't just a life.
It was 27. And 20 of those were children.
I will not rehash the incomprehensible story that occurred on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Connecticut, if only to demonstrate humanity and sympathy to the families who are suffering from despicable evils that came to be.
I will simply try to understand and explain the impact that a catastrophe like today can have.
When we awoke that morning, it appeared as if it were a day like any other. The sun rose as it always does, and most of the world woke up to continue life as it always had.
We went to our respected jobs, sat down at our desks, sipped our first cup of coffee and began working as if it was just another day.
The athletes we have grown to worship went to their respected weight rooms, began there workouts and continued on as it it was just another day.
We all felt excitement for the events to come later on in the day—whether it was students in Ohio hoping that Mt. Union Football would take home it's 11th national championship, or whether it was Brooklyn Nets fans hoping to witness the continued development of what they hope will be a championship year.
Even people as small as myself woke up yesterday looking forward as to how I would spin for my fellow Seattle Mariner fans the recent signing of Josh Hamilton by the Los Angeles Angels.
We were all looking forward to things that were so small, things that were so minuscule, that we forgot to look forward to the biggest thing of them all.
Life.
We all learned yesterday just how small our events truly are. Just how small a national championship seemed in perspective to the fragile life of a child. It seems that the only way many people in the world today can realize this perspective is through tragedy.
I will not try and cast myself in any higher light, for I am just as guilty as the rest of the world in that regard. But incidents like the Newtown shootings should not be what reminds us that professional sports are but a small luxury we have in our lives.
Regardless, what is important today is that we all remember and cherish the opportunities we are given. This is not something that is limited to just sports fans. It doesn't matter your race, religion, economic standing or political opinions.
This is a lesson we all had to be reminded of.
Yesterday will forever live in infamy as the day 27 human beings lost their lives, with 20 of those losing them before they had even been given the chance to begin. The only way we can learn is by waking up tomorrow morning with a new understanding of the true importance of life.
So before you leave your loved ones tomorrow, remember to hug them and remind them just how much you care. Because caring for them is so much more meaningful than caring about the result of some game.
Because the biggest game in the world today is life, and the result of THAT game is the one we should all care about.
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