A week ago, on the eve of what was being billed as the largest full moon of 2012, but was in actuality, the closest full moon of 2012, I sat, in an almost empty, local football(soccer) stadium.
It was an hour before my son and his fellow 13 - 14 year old's were scheduled to play against a team from a neighboring island and the only others early arrivals, besides the teams, who were in the locker rooms, were a group of four, 9 or10 year-old boys.
One of the boys who looked to be a little younger than the others, or at least younger than one of the others, was singing with quite a bit of passion and quite loudly, which at first, I found to be very positive. I appreciated his no holds barred enthusiasm and confident commitment to song.
Not being very well versed in the Greek language, I vaguely made out the song was connected to the coming football game and was some sort of victory cheer, which was endearing, in a cute kind of way.
But pretty quickly my understanding of the situation began to shift. The other team came out and started to warm up. The young boy's singing changed tone and turned into a more vulgar assault. Even without knowing everything he was, now more screaming than singing, the hate and crude meanness was crystal clear.
Then from behind a stone wall, he thew an orange-sized, heavy rock menancingly close to the back of one of the visiting players heads. If his aim had been slightly better, he would have seriously injured the young boy.
Then the boys walked across to the empty stands and started picking up empty water bottles and beer cans from the previous nights Men's game. Pretty quickly the young menace had a full soda can whizzing through the air at his friend, who didn't see it coming and almost caught it in the back of his head.
The boy was clearly dangerous and without any kind of conscience. He was across the stadium from me and there was nothing I could do, but reflect on his home situation and wonder how he had become, at such a young age so reckless and mean. Which of course led to meditating on what could be done about it and how he could be helped to connect to his heart.
The game started and the young boys settled onto a perch where they could somewhat more positively cheer on their slightly older peers.
By halftime, I had forgotten about the boys, when I noticed that during the break, while the teams were in the locker rooms, a group of youngsters had gathered by one of the goals and were taking turns, taking shots, at the goal. The goalkeeper was none other than the little troublemaker, who was now channelling his reckless energy into quite a courageous and unintimidated display against a barrage of shots from much bigger kids than himself.
I quickly understood how the answer for this boy lay not so much in dwelling on the root of his problem but in offering him a positive channel for his energy and a positive mentor who could help guide him with a strong loving hand towards positive expression and simultaneously enlighten him as to the destructiveness and harm his abusive behavior was causing.
The boy was clearly dangerous and without any kind of conscience. He was across the stadium from me and there was nothing I could do, but reflect on his home situation and wonder how he had become, at such a young age so reckless and mean. Which of course led to meditating on what could be done about it and how he could be helped to connect to his heart.
The game started and the young boys settled onto a perch where they could somewhat more positively cheer on their slightly older peers.
By halftime, I had forgotten about the boys, when I noticed that during the break, while the teams were in the locker rooms, a group of youngsters had gathered by one of the goals and were taking turns, taking shots, at the goal. The goalkeeper was none other than the little troublemaker, who was now channelling his reckless energy into quite a courageous and unintimidated display against a barrage of shots from much bigger kids than himself.
I quickly understood how the answer for this boy lay not so much in dwelling on the root of his problem but in offering him a positive channel for his energy and a positive mentor who could help guide him with a strong loving hand towards positive expression and simultaneously enlighten him as to the destructiveness and harm his abusive behavior was causing.
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| Preparing the soil |
While it is obviously important to assist in healing past wounds and doing our best to protect youth from unhealthy home situations, the work that will lead to abundant harvests for the youth and for humanity, the work that we can all participate in is to provide healthy soil for OUR children to plant seeds in and encouraging them as they continue to work the field, so they may connect with their inner hero.
Athletics can provide a healthy realm to refine the hero, as it is a realm where the character is expressed and manifest in the physical realm, but it is just one of many paths where the rainbow warrior can be nurtured. One of a thousand canvases. One of a thousand truths. And like all truths, it can be manipulated towards whatever end the teacher intends. Obviously sports can be a healthy or destructive experience, depending on the coach and teacher.
What is key is recognizing an individuals interests and gifts and nourishing that direction, encouraging them, as Joseph Cambell famously said, to follow their bliss. From sports, to arts, and technology, from building things to growing things the paths are infinite.
This young boy could be nurtured by a singing teacher, just as well as a football coach. The point is to support him in a positive direction.
If our intention is to nurture rainbow warriors and to inspire integral, heroic, loving youth who will be the foundation of a healthy global community, then it is our duty to serve our youth by nurturing their talents and using that fertile soil, where they want to play, to help shape and reveal their true character, the hero that lies within all our hearts.
