Wearing the Jersey

He was a walk-on, an athlete who wasn’t recruited, nor promised any kind of scholarship. Still, he possessed the talent that made the coaches want him on the team, so he joined the others with the full knowledge he may never play in a game.

It was a major accomplishment to make the team, something of which he, his parents, and his friends were proud. In a moment of inspiration and true friendship, his buddies ordered his jersey, complete with name and number. They would be the only fans in the stands with such jerseys, but that didn’t matter. In fact, it only made their jerseys more special, their friendship more inspirational.

When I heard about the friends buying the jerseys, I knew there was a brushstroke to be found. Within this very ordinary series of events, there was something divine. Yes, the athlete’s story spoke of courage, effort, and perseverance, but it was the friends who spoke to my heart most. To buy your buddy’s jersey and wear it proudly in the stands, speaks of true friendship, the kind that roots for someone even when he or she may never play in the game. None of that matters. It’s the friendship that does.

May we all have such friends. May we be such friends.