Monthly Archives: January 2011

Wrestling with emotions

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    I have a love-hate relationship with wrestling. I think it’s a great sport and couldn’t be prouder to be a wrestling mom of two sons, but when it come to watching matches, I have a very difficult time. It’s not because I’m an overly protective mother who is concerned about them getting hurt. Rather, it’s because wrestling is such an individual sport in which grapplers are engaged in a very physical one-on-one battle. It becomes very emotional for me when my sons are on the mat.

    I grew up in a family with three older brothers who were high school wrestlers and went to quite a few matches when I was in elementary school. That doesn’t mean that I always watched my brothers’ matches intently — or at all.  In fact, I recall more socializing than spectating. If my brothers won, I was glad. If they lost, I felt bad, but didn’t dwell on it.

     During the past few years since my two sons started wrestling, I’ve discovered that going to wrestling matches is a whole different story if you’re the mother. I not only watch the matches, I get butterflies while doing so. By the time the match is over, my clenched hands are sweating and my stomach is in knots.

    Tomorrow, my oldest son, Brendan, an eighth grader, is in a varsity tournament in Larimore, N.D., and will wrestle at least two matches and perhaps three or four.  I’ll be glued to the bleachers, torn between wanting to close my eyes and not wanting to miss a moment.  Though, I may not ever get used to it, I will be dealing with it for another seven years. Brendan’s younger brother, Thomas, will move up from elementary wrestling to the junior high next year.

     I’ll be behind both of my sons all the way. I know it’s not about me, but about them and I’m glad that they have the character to participate in a sport that requires a lot of hard work, perserverence and determination. If you’ve never been to a wrestling match or meet, I urge you to go. You’ll see atheletes with a lot of heart.

Flakey Friday

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    Early this morning I thought maybe the weather forecasters were wrong about their prediction for snow today. I couldn’t see stars in the pre-dawn sky when I went outside to feed the horses, but no snow was falling, either.

    However, by the time I headed into Larimore, N.D., to drop my childen off at school, things had changed. There were enough snowflakes hitting the windshield to make it necessary to use the wipers, and by the time I left town, the snow was falling fast and furious. Visibility was fairly limited, especially when I was enveloped in a cloud of white left behind from passing vehicles. It wasn’t bad enough to be white-knuckled driving, but I was pretty relieved when I pulled into the Herald parking lot.

      On the positive side, the big fluffy flakes that are piling up are pretty and look like they’ll be easy to shovel.  This rare day without wind (so far) is a reminder of how lovely snow can look, and winter can be, when the flake fall straight down from the sky.

Winter’s worst

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     For me, a  day like today with gusty winds, blowing snow and sub-zero temperatures represents winter at its worst. Any of the three would be bad enough on their own, but when combined they pose a triple threat to my physical and mental health. After walking a few blocks to pick up some lunch during the noon hour, I felt like a wind-whipped ice cube, and it took me a good hour to warm up. Someone commented to me shortly after I returned about the “awful weather,” and I agreed with her. I wanted to add that what makes it even worse is that it’s only early January and a long way to spring, but I didn’t want to add insult to injury.

    My inclination is to go home after work and stay inside until I have to come back here on Monday morning. However, with animals to feed, children to ferry about, church to attend on Sunday and several other obligations to meet this weekend, that’s not going to happen. Instead, I’ll don several layers of clothes and face the elements as best, and as cheerfully, as I can.

     My first challenge will be to get home safely. There’s a winter weather advisory posted because the snow and blowing is reducing visibility. My drive home yesterday was pretty challenging, not only because of those conditions, but because it also was dark, so I’m going to try to leave today before the sun sets. On that bright note, I’ll sign off and wish everyone a good, warm weekend.