spectating?

Jun 26, 2010

We just got home from the Title of Liberty Walk that is held every year the Saturday before Independence Day and it was wonderful as usual (in spite of Fisher showing up for the 2 mile walk without shoes!)

There were quite a few people parked on the side of the road watching us and taking pictures of all of us walking with our flags. I kept noticing them and wondered why on earth they were watching and not walking with us. As I thought about it and my reaction to them I realized something about myself (this may be obvious to the rest of the world, but it was not obvious to me until today…when I mentioned my epiphany to Richard he started laughing and saying, isn’t that clear?)

Epiphany of the day:

I am not a spectator.

I am a participant.

I am a doer.

I want to be in on all the action, not watching other people be in on it.

I don’t understand spectating (is that a word?).

My questions for the world:

Why would anyone want to watch an event, when they could be part of the event?

What sort of pleasure do people get from simply watching?

This is pretty eye-opening to me because while I realize I am involved with a lot of things, I haven’t ever known why I am involved. Is it because I can’t say no? Is it because I am getting walked on and feel I have to pick up the slack for others? Nope. It is because I like it that way. It feels incomplete to attend an event without having put any work into it, without knowing the ins and outs, without having a vested interest in its success.

I like ushering for plays. I like selling concessions. I like bringing people together for a great event. I like playing the game and stealing the ball, not cheering from the stands. I like making the tackle. I like creating events that bring families, communities, and nations together. I like doing those things. They give me life.

Blythe and Richard said “If everyone was like you, there would be no one to put plays on for, no one to cheer for the homerun, no one to clap. There have to be spectators for events to exist.” I can somewhat see their point, but I can’t really grasp it. I don’t understand spectating, I only understand participating, growing, creating, nurturing, building, and finishing. I don’t understand standing by watching other people do things. Even if I was in a wheelchair or on my death bed, I think I would still be a doer. I think I would still have been out there today using an electric device to move me down the street with my flag or organizing a team to push me or something. Anything to be involved.

Maybe I am crazy…but its who I am.

Spectating is not for me.