Something Different

This week I wanted to talk about why I love being a sports fan and all of the things that I have learned since starting this blog. I have been watching and playing sports my whole life. Now it is like second nature to me, it is a part of who I am. But I have done some reflecting and I look back now at why. I started watching sports because it was the way my dad liked to relax after a long day of work, and I would watch with him. This is the same way a lot of people got into watching sports, but I now realize that part of the reason I still enjoy watching sports is that even when I am alone I can think back to my childhood cheering on the Broncos or the Nuggets surrounded by my family. No matter how stressful times can get or how terrible my teams are at times, I always look forward to watching because I have that connection with my family and that team.

Of course, this reflection on why I love sports so much has been valuable. Still, I learned a lot more than I thought I would by interviewing so many different people on some of their sports-watching experiences. One of my favorite blogs that I have written about was my friend Luka's story on the Serbian soccer rivalry. It put into perspective how cultures are very different from what I am accustomed to, and I still have so much pride invested in a game from childhood.

I think that sports are important because they can bring everyone in the world together in a friendly but competitive environment. As I get older I realize more and more how often people from different cultures can be divided on different topics, but when it comes to sports you can have a friendly conversation with just about anyone to tear down that barrier.

If you consider yourself a big sports fan, I would encourage you to take some time to really reflect on why that is, and it may lead to a deeper appreciation for sports as it has for me.