Keep Your Head In The Game
Sizing up objects and getting a good grip on their size is not a strong suit of mine. Like the time that I thought I could fit all of the décor for a wedding in my vehicle. I have learned to take measurements and double-check what I think. But it’s not entirely my fault ya’ll. Geometry is where you learn relative positions of figures. And my tenth-grade geometry class taught me something else.
My tenth-grade geometry teacher was the head football coach. I was nervous about taking the class because I had started to lose confidence in my mathematical abilities. That worry would have been better served somewhere else. The War Eagles were having a winning football season. The team was on the path towards winning a state championship. As a result, my teacher’s head was focused on steering the football team in the right path.
We did work in the class, of course. He would go over sections. We would complete our homework. Nothing too intense. Well at least as far as geometry was concerned. See, after we finished that the real intense part of the class would begin. We would play Spades.
Let me stop there and tell you that I had no idea how to play the game at that point. My family would separate and have two tables running at holidays, but I was not really into the game. I would watch them occasionally, but I had other stuff to do. So, my classmates tutored me to get my head in the game. They were patient with me and got me to a functional level. When given the choice of a math lesson or Spades, I would choose Spades every time. I felt real pressure though. Black people are serious about Spades, and I was starting with a real disadvantage. I did not know how to count cards. Child, I was kind of a lost cause.
In case you were wondering, our football team won the state championship that year. My geometry teacher floated on a cloud of glory. He stayed there all year. On the other hand, I did not have a winning season in the Spades challenges that took place that year. I learned that it was best to just watch and see if I could find my niche in other areas.
You win some. You lose some. At least I was in the game. Happy Friday! I pray that you keep your head in the game today and know that you are not a lost cause. #wepreach
