Troy Aikman

Completely random.
Last night I must have fallen asleep with Sport Center on because Troy Aikman (of all people) graced my dreams. Odd. It's not like I have ever even thought of the guy besides in passing when it comes to Dallas football. I don't think he's very attractive. I am not even sure what kind of guy he is. However, my subconscious seems to think he's a nice guy.
This is how it played out: I was (in my dream) attending a meeting ... in retrospect I think it may have been church as everyone was dressed up and gearing up to start singing. Where else do you do those two things together. Funny that I would put Troy Aikman in a Mormon building. I think my brain got Aikman and Steve Young confused. Either way. Maybe it wasn't church, because when Troy (yeah, we're on a first name basis now) and I started talking no one swiveled around and gave us the "evil eye". You know the one I'm talking about; you've either got it or given it to a disorderly child. Either way, as we were about to start singing Troy (aka Mr. Aikman) whispered something over his shoulder to me about how little impact football really had, we laughed about it. But then I felt compelled to tell him about how football had impacted my life. Watching the Cowboys with my brother and dad, being fascinated by the cheerleaders, the grandeur of it all. How inwardly pleased I am every time I pass Texas stadium. The absolute thrill I experienced the first time I walked into Texas stadium for a Cowboy's game. I was literally in tears as I watched the opening ceremony. The big cowboy helmet with the cheerleaders lined up on either side, the huge explosion/fireworks as the team came bursting through the front of the helmet ... Even way up in the luxury box (not the best place to sit after all - unless it's raining, blazing hot, or you like free food/beverages) the entire experience was surreal. I was really there. I was really seeing in person what I had watched for so many years at home in Canada. It was a big deal. Sports unite people, cause friction, make people feel like they are apart of something - even if it's "just a fan"
I think that is why I have been trying to encourage Ms. R to get involved in sports, not because I see scholarships or sponsorships in her future - but because I want her to experience that feeling. Of knowing you are part of something, the individual satisfaction of knowing you have brought about ... more. I guess it's hard for me to explain because sports are not just a "doing" for me, it's a "being". I am an athlete. I am a participant. I am a winner.