Murdock

The smell of sweat mixed with popcorn made my nose tingle as I shoved a licorice rope further into my coat pocket. The bold words “effort, attitude, sportsmanship, attention and preparedness” caught my eye as I entered through the side door of the gym.

Basketballs were bouncing in a rhythm all their own, and the bottoms of clean, new shoes squeaked and screeched their way up, down, and all around the court. Basketball season had arrived, and I found myself once again in a place I’ve grown to love as a spectator, observer and onlooker of some pretty great moments.

I climbed the steps of the bleachers one level at a time while the two teams warmed up, looking for a vantage point that would give me an unobstructed view of both ends of the court — not too close, but not too far away either. I wanted to be able to see clearly, but I also wanted to blend in a bit too, standing out without standing up at all.

Was there such a place for me to watch from? Does a place like that even really exist? A place where perspective isn’t just a physical location, but a mindset as well? I wasn’t there to visit with everyone around me, nor was I there to rehash the calls the refs may or may not make, and I certainly wasn’t there to get caught up in any sort of sideline drama about ball hogs or bad coaching techniques. I was there to cheer as loudly or as quietly as I needed to for my boys, their teammates and even their coaches. I was there to see more good than bad when the score wasn’t in our favor, and I was there to keep my own set of stats that had nothing to do with rebounds or takedowns. I continued smiling at the familiar faces around me while I unfolded my comfy stadium seat, also acknowledging a few strangers near me with a hopeful nod, and then quietly sat down. The game was about to begin, and even without setting foot on the court, I knew I had a pretty critical role to play as well.

From the sidelines of football fields, to ringside in show barns, and even near half court inside school gymnasiums, many of our stories hold tight to the places and spaces in which we have witnessed so much of our children’s lives unfold. Season after season, year after year, many hours have been spent as spectators of highs and lows, and everything in between. In fact, I bet if you close your eyes right now, you can clearly see years of Christmas performances, a missed free throw or five, a buzzer beating shot, maybe a slam dunk, some amazing tackles, the correct feet placement of show animals at just the right time, and even a dance move or two that took your breath away that happened right in front of you from the bleachers.

I would also bet that you can hear judges speaking about how one small change could lead to improvement, teachers sincerely applauding students’ efforts of getting homework done and turned in on time, and coaches shouting plays from the bench or even the dugout as you make your way down the memory lane of life in the stands. These experiences have not only provided us with opportunities to learn the art of observation, but they’ve also extended our understanding of what the word “impress” really means and how impressions leave lasting marks, not just on the players, but on the people in the stands, too.

Many of us will be entering through a variety of gym doors over the course of the next few months. We will be filling the stands and sidelines to watch a select few play a game that allows only one team to win. We will be given opportunities to cheer, support, and encourage the best we know how. Will we get it right every time? Absolutely not. But wouldn’t it be the coolest thing to know that our role in the audience as the bleacher people helped get everyone a little closer to the finish line in the greatest ways possible? That’s the impression I want to make and one I hope you do, too.

Be discerning, think before you react to something you have no control over, look for the good (because it’s always there), and make a conscious effort to lean away from criticism and into grace, because the truth is, even bleacher people can leave an impression in the greatest of games.