My Redacted Life ... having fun

I try not to, but I seem to learn things and associate things no matter where I go or what I do. Sometimes I think I drift toward empiricism, the theory that the origin of all knowledge is sense experience. In my case, it seems that all knowledge is connected by a fine thread, that only I and gifted others can see. For example, how many could, as I did, connect a bunch of kids shooting baskets at the gym with public administration?

It happened like this.

We walked at the gym this week on a track that circles above a basketball court that is usually filled with young kids. We enjoy watching them as we circle, and circle, and circle. They exhibit universal good behavior though their talent levels vary. That doesn’t seem to affect their enthusiasm levels one bit. It makes our walking and thinking more fun.

This particular day, I noticed one thing. The kids there on that day just weren’t very good. Naturally, I began passing judgement. Some benign coaching might improve them immensely. I would be just the person to do it.

See that little feller? His strength is quickness and dexterity. Is he using it? No.

That one over there needs to build his arm strength.

Watch out son, don’t try all that fancy dribbling. Keep it simple.

Hey you, pay attention.

Then they all went a little crazy and started shooting from beyond what I think they call the “three-point” line. Most couldn’t even reach the basket. It led to a frenzy of wild shooting and much laughing.

This all led me think about my profession, how city governments don’t build on their strengths and concentrate too much on unrealistic population goals and not enough on building their people.

These kids weren’t going to get better. Lots of cities were going to languish. All for the same reason.

Maybe a lack of oxygen cleared some of my brain passages. Maybe not being transfixed to the Internet gave me a moment of clarity. Whatever it was, a thought came flashing, pure and pristine, from the depths of my darkness, like a blazing display of bravura from a Beethoven symphony. I had a thought. Everything would be okay. All was fine.

These kids were having fun. That was the important thing. They were enjoying freedom from adults coaching them, parents yelling at them, parents yelling at other parents, whistles blowing, and crowds booing.

They would get better. Some would become very good. Right now, they were discovering the joy of playing for fun. I’m sure that is a wonderful feeling, playing for fun whether you ever get to be a professional or not, playing for fun because it makes you smile.

I decided that I would go home and pick the guitar for a while. I wouldn’t ever get good at it, but it would make me smile and I wouldn’t be thinking ill of anyone while I did it.

I decided that I would stress to municipal officials next week that if practicing governance didn’t make them smile, they weren’t doing it right.