In high school, I was both a devoted athlete and a devout drama student. If I wasn’t practicing with the basketball or volleyball teams, I was lurking in the office of my English teacher (drama director and a very theatrical opera singer)!!

Basketball taught me teamwork and allowed me to use my all-around physical skill. I could play any position and took enormous pleasure in using every well-honed muscle. Mind and body became a fluid thing that engaged every part of my being. It wasn’t until much later in life that I began to sense the value of my learning in those years of playing basketball.

Before I got to those understandings, I had to go through a period where I wondered why I had not opted for track and field. In my estimation, I would have benefited more from a coach for hurdles, long jump and marathons, particularly marathon detours. Those would offer “life skill” experience for people like me.

When I refer to obstacles, I am not pointing to the demented planning of the transportation department whose expertise seems to be in obstacles, detours, and trenches. No, no, I’m speaking of the obstacles that surface when all I wanted to do was to speak to a re-finance consultant, for example. Or, perhaps, the detour that magically appears on the way toward adoption or car purchase or graduate school. Then, there is the trench of fear, indecision, and fog that seems real but is just a mirage. And, what about the hurdles that pop up in my path for which I felt I had no dexterity. These are the life skills that I seem ill-prepared to exercise.

At some stage, I came to understand that sports or school or astronomy all teach life skills and I am pretty sure I am not talking about life skills here. Hmmmmm! I think we might, just, perhaps…be grateful! Grateful that we saw the trench. Grateful that the detour gave me an opportunity to be in awe and wonder. Grateful that the closed ramp saved me from the ditch.

In spite of all of these Truths that I am learning, I still would like to know what jokester, doofus, or Machiavelli does the road repair planning.