What matters

We did twenty minutes of conditioning.  KC took over practice.  He was part band director, part choreographer, and at times part military commander. Everything flowed, everybody moved.  The kids worked hard.  And even when they struggled to master some new skill, they had fun.

After practice KC and I were walking out of the gym together.  The boys and their parents were walking ahead of us down a long hallway.  I heard one of the boys say “I like Coach KC.”

“He’s supposed to be your coach, not your friend,” his dad snarled.  “Let’s see how much you like him when your team’s getting beat by twenty points every game.”

I looked at KC.  He shook his head, but his smile didn’t fade. “Whether we win by twenty or lose by twenty,” he said to me, “I promise you these kids will learn the game.” 

Looking at him, I realized what made him a great coach was knowing what mattered.  Winning, losing, and the opinion of a disgruntled parent weren’t important to him.  Teaching sixth graders to love the game was.  Because he knew what mattered, he was focused. He had no time for drama.  I couldn’t imagine him wasting energy being petty or vindictive.

He reminded me of wise people I’d met in AA.  Mostly oldtimers, they had told me what mattered in recovery.  Focusing on what they taught me kept me away from the distractions many people trip over in early recovery.

Today I will be grateful for people who know what matters.

Life on Life’s Terms II © 2015 by Ken Montrose

(Just a reminder: LOLT II is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to anyone you might know is purely coincidental.)