In the next 10 years, do you plan on skydiving?
Life can get mundane — if you let it.
For me, nothing this week relates that point better than a 20-minute interview I took Monday so I can get additional life insurance coverage. Who wants to spend lunch answering questions about alcohol consumption, family heart disease, cancer?
I know, I know, suck it up, that's life.
I'd have to say the highlight of the interview though was, in the next 10 years do you plan on skydiving or bungee jumping? I was truthful. I have no plans on doing either in the next decade, but now that we're talking about it I'm getting the itch.
The point being — to quote a former English teacher of mine— we must all identify the things in life that make us "tick," and then make time for them in our weekly life, because adult life will lead you down a boring, repetitive path if you let it.
That's why, seeing all the wrestling highlights over the weekend, was uplifting. Look right. Check out the photo CNA sports writer Larry Peterson captured of Creston/O-M wrestler Keaton Hulett Saturday after Hulett won his first state wrestling championship.
He's ticking alright — probably at about 200 beats per minute.
A television highlight I saw over the weekend showed Hulett's family celebrating directly after his win. There was nobody more proud than parents Chuck and Tami. Grandpa Jack was right there fist clinched in the air and Grandma Judy — one of my favorite ladies in this whole world — was so overcome with emotion, her happy tears were visible in the highlight.
Equally, I covered a girls basketball game Saturday. The Red Oak Lady Tigers basketball team defeated ADM in the regional final at CHS gymnasium. With the win, they became the first Red Oak girls basketball team to make it to state in 90 years.
Grace Blomstedt, a 6-1 sophomore center for Red Oak, had a fantastic game, leading her team to victory with a triple double — 14 points, 13 blocks and 11 rebounds to go with five steals.
Tears of happiness poured down her face as she held up the blue state-qualifying banner for photos after the game. Tears continued to pour down her face as she hugged her sister and father.
I've always loved playing and watching sports, because the outcome is unknown and the story is always unfolding. Sports have a way of creating natural excitement. But, as a nice lady at a recent legislative coffee reminded us: "sports aren't everything."
I agree.
I met with Dustin Baird for a story last week about a new music studio he's opened in Creston, and he oozed with excitement about playing and teaching young people how to play the guitar, bass guitar or drums. Like Dustin, my youngest brother Korey lives for playing and listening to music. Every Monday he sends me a new band to listen to.
The kid I mentor each Wednesday loves skateboarding. He tells me about a skateboard camp he wants to go in Pennsylvania almost every time we meet.
Maybe dancing makes you tick, or acting, or autoracing, or simply finding a spot on the carpet to play with your son or daughter. Maybe what makes you tick is still out there waiting for discovery. Maybe it's skydiving.
Whatever it is, find it and do it, because time on this earth is too short to live an ordinary life. I'm reminded of that every day I edit the obituary page of our paper.
