Nonsense

No one really left much when I was younger. Or at least if they did, I didn’t notice. That small state on the East Coast was all I knew, and all I ever thought I would know. And at the time, I was fine with that. I didn’t know any different, anyways… 

What I knew was volleyball, basketball, swimming and school. But not soccer. Or boys. Not romantically at least. Soccer season interfered with volleyball, and instead of being liked by the guys, I was one of the guys. 

Imagine my surprise when I went off to college and it turned out that the big man on campus, that handsome soccer-playing English boy with the accent, liked me. Despite my outfit at our first meeting, duck slippers and red plaid pajama pants, I guess he saw something he liked. Or he just wanted me to keep writing his papers for him. Either way, 8 years, 2 kids, 1 ring, and many moves later, we’re still together. 

Through all the moves, however, Vancouver never even remotely entered my mind. Why would it? I just always assumed we’d stay relatively close to home. Raleigh was a mere 5 hour drive from Maryland, and even then I still shed more than one crocodile tear when saying my good byes. 

I should know by now not to assume. None of this was ever the plan, really.  Soccer, married with a kid by 23, 2 by 25, Canada, moving, leaving, changing constantly. It’s just not what I imagined, or where I imagined, or who I imagined I’d be. 

Maybe I need to broaden my thinking a little, because, it’s a lot better than what I imagined. It’s better than I imagined because of the people, the experiences, and the growth that’s been forced upon us with the constant change. It’s been a blessing in disguise.  

When I first walked into BC Place for the ‘Caps home opener versus Montreal Impact, I was at a loss for words. This was definitely not something I had envisioned being part of, even if in a small way, back in my volleyball days. It was too huge and I felt too small. Watching Matt over the years to that moment was surreal. And it’s that point in time that made me realize that I need to think bigger, because you never know what life holds and where you may end up. 

I was just a tomboy ready to live my life with no surprises. Then one day I put on my duck slippers, crossed the hall of my dorm to hang out with my best friend, and instead of just having a regular night I met a boy. It’s amazing to think that that started a series of events that led us here, two extra souls in tow, for soccer, to Vancouver. 

Dr. Seuss said, “I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” Given that my life has ended up nowhere close to what I imagined, it can’t hurt to introduce a little bit of nonsense into my thinking. I’ll just be less surprised when the fantasy becomes a reality.