The 12th Man

Since I live in Western Washington, I am buried deep in Seahawks mania.  I find myself actually looking forward to watching the Super Bowl on Sunday.  Go Hawks!  Legion of Boom!  12th Man Fever! Beast Mode!

My family is not a sports-watching family, but I do enjoy a good football game from time to time.  I'm not going to spend $30 on a Seahawks t-shirt, nor am I going to invest in limited-edition Marshawn Lynch Skittles, but I may (or may not) be wearing blue and green party beads.

Although it is mostly just publicity, I am enjoying the hype.  There are flags being flown, #12 jerseys being worn, and spirit dress-up days at school.  My 6-year-old has no idea what it is all about, but her school is so wrapped up in hype that she is going for it.  I put blue and green bands in her hair today, she brought cans of soup for the "Souper Bowl" food drive, and she wore her day-glow green socks.  I volunteer in her classroom on Tuesday afternoons, and the art project this week was to make little 12th Man flags.

The 12th Man symbolizes strength in unity.  When CenturyLink Field is full and the fans cheer together, it registers as an earthquake on the sensors. Working together, sharing positive energy, and agreeing as one can literally move the earth.  By calling their fans The 12th Man, the Seahawks have created a frenzy of unification that has swept the region like a tidal wave.

There are so many controversial, divisive topics in our culture.  Marriage equality, gender equality, parents' rights, war, politics, drugs, crime...all you have to do is scroll through a Facebook feed or glance at a newspaper to get a good dose of negativity and disagreement.  It is a welcome, refreshing change to be surrounded by people who agree on something.  Even if it is something as trivial as a football game, or as simple as wearing blue and green on Fridays, the common energy is uplifting.

And then there's always this :-D
pic.twitter.com/rdtXP6IGTE

Not everyone loves football, and I, for one, am ready for football season to come to a conclusion. There is a lot of standard corporate profiteering going on, and some fat-cats are getting even fatter as a result.  But I am choosing to focus on here and now, because that is all there is.  Right now, every time I see a blue and white "12" flag, I smile.  The general energy of rooting for the home team, cheering for our favorite players, agreeing that this is a fun time and the sense of excitement are infectious.

I'm looking forward to the Super Bowl, and I do hope the Seahawks pull off a win.  But regardless of the outcome, the public surge of agreement and positivity has done good things for my spirit.  If the group energy poured into cheering for a football team can do this to an area, imagine the scale of what could be accomplished in this world.  The potential is truly endless and beautiful.

I deserve BEAUTY in my life!