Sure, the Tigers blew their chance at a national championship. Did it make me and thousands of other Mizzou fans physiclly ill? You bet. But does it really matter? It is just a game afterall. Why then, do we allow ourselves to spiritually live and die through a sports team's successes and failures? It can't be that football or other sports are so important that the universe will cease to be if the games weren't played. There must be something else that compells us to invest so much of our hearts and souls on the outcome of a game played by people we don't even know.
My theory is that watching sports is an attempt to fill a void in our lives. Somehow, being a fan of a team is a replacement for something we perceive to be missing in our souls. Being a vicarious part of a team somehow gives us something to live for, even if we have a family and friends and a great job to fill that role. We all yearn to be a part of something greater than ourselves. Religion has primarily served in this capacity for thousands of years. Man needs to know that he fits into a bigger plan. He needs to feel like there is something more than working, eating, sleeping, and dying. Religion and sports give him something else to live for.
Why does man feel this need to be a part of something bigger than himself? Why can't we be content with enjoying the simple pleasures of our daily lives? Savoring a good meal, breathing in fresh mountain air, completing a difficult task at work, holding hands with a spouse, listening to a child's laughter, and waking up refreshed after a good night's sleep are all simple things that we should derive great satisfaction from. A Buddhist would say that we should practice right-mindfulness. We should take the time to stop and appreciate these gifts we receive everyday. They are not complicated, yet when we take a moment to appreciate them, we realize how fortunate we are to have them. We understand how incredibly lucky we are to have a family, our health, an occupation, etc. When we pause to contemplate how blessed we are to experience these great things, then we find joy and true happiness in this life. We no longer need to look outside of ourselves for something more to satisfy us. We don't need to live vicariously through a sports team in order to feel that we are a part of something wonderful. We already are a part of such a thing. It is called life.
Be grateful. Be joyous. Be in the moment. Be content. The key to happiness is simply to take a moment everyday to realize how blessed we are. If the Tigers win, then that's just icing on the cake.
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