Underdog...

It's true, I sat down for four hours today and watched the Super Bowl. For those of you who do not know me, well, this is a BIG deal. It's not that I dislike sports, because I don't. In fact, when I was a little boy I was a HUGE footbal fan. Not only did I watch the games, but I played the game incessantly, imagining I was some famous player like Bart Starr, or Dick Butkus. Surely you remember those guys? They were amazing! And in my mind I would also, following in their football footsteps, one day be amazing.

But I guess other plans were afoot in the Universe for HH. My path took a radical left turn at age twelve when I discovered a rather large and now, lifelong, ummm, friend. No, not the flesh and blood type of friend, but one made of wood, covered in varnish, tightly wound. I started playing the string bass. No, it's not some mutant form of fish, it's the "bass fiddle," upright bass, whatever you want to call it. And it really isn't my friend, but it has been with me ever since, reminding me of the joy of playing music, while at the same time frustrating me with musical challenges I can't seem to overcome. OK, on with it, Harlan.

Watching the game today I was reminded of those days many years ago when I, like most other boys my age wanted to be a warrior in the NFL. I cannot be certain of why it was so attractive to me then, but I can say that I now see that everyone wants to be something like a hero. Catch the winning pass, hit the World Series winning home run, that kind of thing. Don't we all want that, or something like it? I think so.

So today as the NY Giants cut short the New England Patriot's dream of a perfect season, my emotions at seeing them win surprised even me. They had been counted out of the running, losing the first two games of the season but surprising everyone to win the NFC Championship game.

I love the underdog. At the beginning of the game, three of four TV commentators declared that New England would win today. But it was time for a hero and we were not disappointed. There were many, I guess, but I think the real hero, in this instance and in life, is not a person doing a given deed at a given time, but it is summed up in a comment by one of the TV wags when he said, "the New England Patriot's came in undefeated, but the NY Giants were undaunted."

That's it, thought I, heroism isn't about a game, or winning, or even risking your life for someone else. No, it's about being undaunted when all seems lost. My online dictionary says this about "undaunted" ...

"Not intimidated, or discouraged by difficulty, danger, or disappointment."

Hmmm, yeah, that's it. The real hero when times are tough is a little known attribute that tells us to stick it out even though we have little hope of winning, or, in the worst case, making it out alive. Best of all, ANYBODY can be undaunted ... we just need a good reason! Often we are told in subtle and not so subtle ways that we are losers, or at least, not winners. But that may actually be to our advantage, if we use it so. The Patriot's were the favorites to win that game. What about you? Have you been counted out of the game? If so, rejoice ... it's not so bad to be the underdog, just ask Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants.

I wonder if this is what Jesus meant when he said, "blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth."

Go underdogs!