That is what I thought when I held the little piece of net in my hand. It is only a thread. As a single piece of cloth barely three inches long, no one could possibly know it is a net. But it is symbolic and it has a story. This is what I want to share. And even more, it is easily linked to a lesson in spirituality, which is why I want to share it.
All stories have a context. That is why they so often begin, “Once upon a time…” So here it goes. Once upon a time my university’s women’s basketball team was facing the end of their remarkably good season. This past week they entered the conference tournament with the knowledge that a successful run through the tournament meant they could play in the national championship tournament. It turns out they did win the tournament two days ago and that’s where the story begins---or most folks will think that is when it begins.
I am fairly close to the coach and young women on this team. I teach a leadership class which most of the front-line key players on the team have taken. I consider myself friends with them and have been supportive through the year. Vicariously, I felt every little win was my win. It is a long season and things can easily go wrong, even for very talented teams. This team has managed little drama all season. They have parked their egos and it truly has been team first. Team culture does not score baskets, but bad team culture surely gets in the way of things.
As usual, with a tournament win, the team gets to cut down the nets. That is a much more sophisticated way than the ancient act of war when the victor would cut off the loser’s head, stick it on a pole and parade around proclaiming supremacy! In our contemporary context, the knife---preferable scissors---and a ladder are needed. I watched with satisfaction as each young woman climbed the ladder and cut off a piece for herself. It is only a piece of net, but it becomes loaded with memories for each one of them.
As they were chopping down the net on the other goal, I was invited to climb the ladder and do the same. I was touched. I had never worn the uniform, scored one point, etc. There is no discernable fingerprint of mine on the program. An outsider would have no clue that I had anything remotely to do with this women’s team. I did not deserve to have a piece of the net, but I was graced to hold it in my hand.
As I said, that piece of thread becomes symbolic. It is only a piece of thread in my hand, but in my mind it symbolizes at least two things I want to emphasize. First it symbolizes a part of a net. A net is nothing more than a bunch of threads woven together to form strands of a net, which is shaped such that it attaches to a basketball goal. When a single thread becomes part of that net, effectively is acquires a function. All this reminds me of community---my first point.
A net is like a community. It is made up of individuals. This is how I see the women’s team---a high functioning community. It works because all of them are like threads in the net. Each has a place in the community and it functions well. It works well communally because there is a high level of care and togetherness. No thread by itself can be a net. No individual by herself can be better than the team. Community---be it team or group---works best when it is more important than any individual.
Secondly, I think as I look at the little piece of net in my hand, that little piece means almost nothing by itself. It is now split off, isolated and alone. This is analogous to individuals. By ourselves, we feel split off, disconnected and alone. In this situation it is not possible to love or feel loved. We are designed to be relational, just as the thread is designed to be woven into a string and become something like a net.
When I watch the women’s team, it is easy to see the love. The love shows up because their egos are not primary; sharing and serving dominate. Community works best when it is not about “me.” If anyone wants to be the star or the most important person on the team or in the community, trouble is ahead. Seeds of mediocrity are sown with this kind of attitude. Mediocrity never excels. The same is true in the spiritual life. Mediocrity, like superficiality, is not the goal.
And so it was only a little bit of thread in my hand. It used to be twice as long---maybe five inches. But I cut mine in half and gave one half to my seven-year old granddaughter who was at the game. She is just beginning to learn basketball and to root for a particular team. She is not quite sure what this little piece of cloth is---nor why it might be important for me. But she does not yet know it is a symbol and it has a story. That is what I have to help her learn.
And this is what all spiritual communities have to do with their younger and newer people. Until you become part of a team and community, you don’t know the full riches and meaning possible for your life. And most of us won’t even win the tournament, while all the others lose. In the spiritual game, everyone can win. That’s the dream: to learn we are all winners!
It is only a thread. But it is part of a net, which is part of a much bigger game. And so it is with each of us. We are only one life. But we can be part of community and part of a much bigger spiritual game where we are all winners.
All stories have a context. That is why they so often begin, “Once upon a time…” So here it goes. Once upon a time my university’s women’s basketball team was facing the end of their remarkably good season. This past week they entered the conference tournament with the knowledge that a successful run through the tournament meant they could play in the national championship tournament. It turns out they did win the tournament two days ago and that’s where the story begins---or most folks will think that is when it begins.
I am fairly close to the coach and young women on this team. I teach a leadership class which most of the front-line key players on the team have taken. I consider myself friends with them and have been supportive through the year. Vicariously, I felt every little win was my win. It is a long season and things can easily go wrong, even for very talented teams. This team has managed little drama all season. They have parked their egos and it truly has been team first. Team culture does not score baskets, but bad team culture surely gets in the way of things.
As usual, with a tournament win, the team gets to cut down the nets. That is a much more sophisticated way than the ancient act of war when the victor would cut off the loser’s head, stick it on a pole and parade around proclaiming supremacy! In our contemporary context, the knife---preferable scissors---and a ladder are needed. I watched with satisfaction as each young woman climbed the ladder and cut off a piece for herself. It is only a piece of net, but it becomes loaded with memories for each one of them.
As they were chopping down the net on the other goal, I was invited to climb the ladder and do the same. I was touched. I had never worn the uniform, scored one point, etc. There is no discernable fingerprint of mine on the program. An outsider would have no clue that I had anything remotely to do with this women’s team. I did not deserve to have a piece of the net, but I was graced to hold it in my hand.
As I said, that piece of thread becomes symbolic. It is only a piece of thread in my hand, but in my mind it symbolizes at least two things I want to emphasize. First it symbolizes a part of a net. A net is nothing more than a bunch of threads woven together to form strands of a net, which is shaped such that it attaches to a basketball goal. When a single thread becomes part of that net, effectively is acquires a function. All this reminds me of community---my first point.
A net is like a community. It is made up of individuals. This is how I see the women’s team---a high functioning community. It works because all of them are like threads in the net. Each has a place in the community and it functions well. It works well communally because there is a high level of care and togetherness. No thread by itself can be a net. No individual by herself can be better than the team. Community---be it team or group---works best when it is more important than any individual.
Secondly, I think as I look at the little piece of net in my hand, that little piece means almost nothing by itself. It is now split off, isolated and alone. This is analogous to individuals. By ourselves, we feel split off, disconnected and alone. In this situation it is not possible to love or feel loved. We are designed to be relational, just as the thread is designed to be woven into a string and become something like a net.
When I watch the women’s team, it is easy to see the love. The love shows up because their egos are not primary; sharing and serving dominate. Community works best when it is not about “me.” If anyone wants to be the star or the most important person on the team or in the community, trouble is ahead. Seeds of mediocrity are sown with this kind of attitude. Mediocrity never excels. The same is true in the spiritual life. Mediocrity, like superficiality, is not the goal.
And so it was only a little bit of thread in my hand. It used to be twice as long---maybe five inches. But I cut mine in half and gave one half to my seven-year old granddaughter who was at the game. She is just beginning to learn basketball and to root for a particular team. She is not quite sure what this little piece of cloth is---nor why it might be important for me. But she does not yet know it is a symbol and it has a story. That is what I have to help her learn.
And this is what all spiritual communities have to do with their younger and newer people. Until you become part of a team and community, you don’t know the full riches and meaning possible for your life. And most of us won’t even win the tournament, while all the others lose. In the spiritual game, everyone can win. That’s the dream: to learn we are all winners!
It is only a thread. But it is part of a net, which is part of a much bigger game. And so it is with each of us. We are only one life. But we can be part of community and part of a much bigger spiritual game where we are all winners.
Comments
Post a Comment