As in footy, the only constant in life is change
It’s no secret I have a fondness for sport, particularly Australian rules football. I used to play a lot and as my children remind me, the older I get, the better I was. So, it’s with some degree of excitement that I look forward to the recommencement of the Australian Football League next Thursday (June 11). Even my wife has missed my expert commentary and insightful editorials on the games each week; at least I think that’s what she meant when she noted how much she missed me watching football.
Shortened matches, a shortened season and a possible increase in the number of players on the interchange bench are the changes the AFL is making because of the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Coaches, players and umpires will have to adjust, as will the spectators. We should all be used to it—the AFL often makes changes to how the game is played. Some we’ve agreed with, while others we have not. Sports fans are nothing if not skilled at expressing their views clearly and forthrightly.
Watching football on television is one of the few things my father and I did together. I hoped for some type of connection, but I’m not sure Dad was aware of the opportunity. Within the first 15 minutes of the game, Dad would yell at the TV, feeling aggrieved the umpires were making such bad decisions. I’d yell at Dad to remind him the rules of the game had changed and the umpires were making good decisions. A terse interchange followed as Dad lamented over how unnecessary the changes were and how things were so much better in the “good old days.” I’d complain about how he was stuck in a bygone era and needed to catch up with how the game had changed. It would end with both of us sitting in stony silence until the game was over. The script was the same every time.
As we emerge from the COVID-19 lockdown, things will be different—it may be months and even years before all restrictions on activities, particularly overseas travel, are lifted. Social distancing practices, fear of future pandemics, and changes in attitudes mean we will never go back to exactly how things were before. I fear many of us will experience the same frustrations as my father, pining for what was and refusing to accept what is. Perhaps this is a time to not only look forward rather than back but to also look after each other. Let’s take the opportunity to connect in positive ways.
Photograph
Jimmy Harris, “The Eagles warming up,” Wikimedia Commons
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