MY SOUL HURTS

Today was the saddest sporting day in my life. This was because Barca was eliminated from the Champions League semi-final in Barcelona. This tournament is the European club soccer equivalent of the World Cup, and its winner is rightly crowned the best team in the world.

The Catalan side came out attacking and took an early 1-0 lead. John Terry, the captain of the opposing Chelsea team, was ejected a few moments later for a foolish foul. This gave Barca a one-player advantage for the remaining hour of play. Shortly thereafter, Barca scored its second goal to put them up 2-0. They were in the driver's seat and had overturned the 1-0 victory that Chelsea had earned against them 6 days earlier.

However, Chelsea quickly struck back with a goal of its own. While each team had scored the same number of goals between the two matches (2-2), Chelsea's "away goal" at Barca's stadium gave them the advantage since these count more than goals scored in one's own stadium.

Barca were stunned and looked like a prizefighter that had been knocked down for the very first time. Indeed, this is a club that had won 13 of 16 possible trophies they had contended for in the past three years under its current coach Pep Guardiola.

To their credit, Barca continued to attack, but it was to no avail. What had seemed effortless last season and even earlier this season - scoring one simple goal (that would have seen them through to the finals) - became impossible.

There are several explanations for why this occurred. First, the team has played an inhuman number of matches this season. Second, key figures have been or are still injured. Third, Chelsea was resolute in its defense. Finally, and most importantly, Barca had lost belief in itself.

No point in the match captured that loss of belief greater than when the great Messi missed a penalty. Nine times out of ten, Messi makes that shot. However, today he hit the bar. That thud drained any remaining hope from Messi, the Barca players, and fans worldwide. The players and we knew then that the universe was aligned squarely against us, and the players surely felt powerless in the face of that pressure. What a time to realize Camus' truths about the absurdity of life!

Why does this loss hurt so much you might ask? It is not merely a question of expectations and the belief that Barca was the better team. Rather, it is the belief that Barca's philosophy of play is how life and the game of soccer were meant to be- fluid, tireless, resolute, and passionate. Barca is the Gryffindor of soccer, the Rebel Alliance of soccer, and any other purely positive analogy that comes to mind.

Earlier this week, Barca lost another match - this time to its bitter rival Real Madrid that effectively ended Barca's campaign to win a fourth consecutive Spanish League title. Afterwards, my favorite player Andres Iniesta spoke for all cules (Barca fans) when he said, "Our soul hurts after this loss." The picture below of a disconsolate Messi captures this hurt better than any image I have seen today.

That our souls hurt after this loss means that the Barca philosophy is something worth fighting for.

Yes, it will be a very long off-season, but Barca will be back. How do I know this? Because this Barca like me gets up after it has been knocked down. This Barca is the team of my life!

HIS HEART ON HIS SLEEVE

Today when I got home our nanny Grace asked Nicholas to tell me about his day. This is never a good sign. He was reluctant to share the events of the day, so Grace gave me the scoop.

Nicholas' teacher said that he had spit at a classmate today. I was floored by this news. I asked him to tell me why he would do such a thing to one of his best friends. Nicholas fought back tears and said that two of his friends from his class were playing with him at recess. At one point, everyone was having fun. However, later the two girls, who are quite fond of Nicholas, were trying to sit on him. He apparently was laughing at first but then wanted them to stop. He said he tried to run away but that they followed him. He said he was quite upset by this experience and later spit in the direction of one of the girls, who happens to be his best friend.

At this point, the tears were flowing, and I tried to comfort him while also giving him guidance on alternative ways he could have handled the situation (find a teacher, express in no uncertain terms your frustration with your words rather than your saliva, run away!). He said he understood this and would not do it again.

While I was firm with Nicholas, it was hard not to be sympathetic with him. He is one of the nicest and kindest children whom I have ever known, and he adores his school and classmates. Clearly, his feelings were hurt, and he felt as though he had no outlet. I tried to help him realize that their are always options but that one had to live with one's choices. He said he understood.

We wrote a card to his best friend. In it he apologized and explained how he felt. He also decorated it and attached a homemade necktie he made out of yarn. I am hopeful he will make up with his friend tomorrow and that this teachable moment will pass.

Whoever said childhood and parenthood was easy clearly had a charmed life without kids of their own....

TICKLE BEAR

This video of grandma tickling Cate while we were on vacation speaks for itself. Enjoy!

HE SHOOTS! HE SCORES!

This weekend marked the beginning of Spring soccer for Nicholas. It was an uncharacteristically beautiful and sunny April day, and Nicholas was very psyched to get back out there.

Since the Fall season ended, we have been watching a lot of soccer. We try to practice at least once per week at an artificial turf pitch by our house that is not a mud pit like the nearby grass pitches. Nicholas has become more comfortable and confident, and he brought his A game this past weekend.

Very early on, there was a mad scramble in front of the other team's goal. Who was in the midst of things? Mr. Nicholas. He calmly slotted one home with his left foot. This was followed by a mini celebration complete with arm flapping.

We also jumped for joy on the sideline. This was not because of the goal. Rather, it was because of the joy that Nicholas exuded and the improvement that he showed.

I am not sure whether Nicholas will score another goal again this season. However, I can guarantee that Nicholas will give his all on the field and that he will be a positive influence on his teammates. For what else could one ask?

OUR OWN PRIVATE QUIDDITCH

Yesterday, Nicholas had a playdate with a friend, so Cate and I decided to go to the pitch (soccer field) together. We had talked about doing this all week, so she and I were quite excited to finally go.

The first pitch we went to was full, so we had to come up with plan B. The second pitch was also full, but there was space on the sideline for us to kick the ball around. We set up some goals, and Cate went to work.

Cate's has been taking a soccer class at her pre-school, and her skills have improved. She was laughing, smiling, but also focused on putting that ball in the net. Many of the parents who were watching their older daughters play on the field looked on with astonishment to see my little one in action. Cate was wearing her kit (uniform) which added to the spectacle.



When she began playing, I was not sure how much of Cate's interest was simply due to my love for the game versus her own. However, it is now clear that Cate is hooked, too. As we drove home, we joked about how much we both loved soccer. I said she and I loved soccer as much as Nicholas loved legos. Cate said, "No dad! We love soccer as much as Harry Potter loves quidditch!"

Well said kiddo.

THEY WERE ROBBED

This year for the first time in recent memory I did not watch the Oscar ceremonies on TV or participate in an Oscar Pool. While it is true that I did not see many of the nominated films and performances this year, that is true most years. I did not tune in this year because I felt as though the outcome for many of the top awards was a foregone conclusion, and I did not agree with those conclusions. Will we remember the silent black and white film "the Artist" that took home three top honors in 10 years... let alone next year? I think not.

In my opinion, "the Descendants" was by far the best film of the year. George Clooney is my favorite actor, and he always excels. However, he played a very different character in this film- a man faced with a comatose, near-death wife who was having an affair and who is faced with the prospect of having to raise his young daughters alone. Nothing in his life prepares him for this situation and for a large business decision he must make on behalf of his extended family. However, his character comes to learn during the course of the film that his history, his experience, and his family make clear what he must do. There is no happy ending, but there is comfort in the knowledge that his character, like us, is not alone in this world. Isn't that what great films, like great books, help us to realize?

There are causes greater than ourselves. There are tales that must be told. Yes deeds matter, but so do words. "The Artist" could learn more than a few things from "the Descendants."

THE BOY WHO LOVED

We recently completed a two month long odyssey watching the Harry Potter films. They were amazing! At first, they started out rather simple and sweet. However, the subject matter and themes quickly grew more intense.

While we watched the films, at least one part of Nicholas' body was in contact with mine. If I tried to leave the room while the movie was playing, he quickly rose to his feet and followed me. When I asked him why he did not want to be alone/could not be alone, he simply said he wanted to be close to me. Thus far, there have been no nightmares. Thank goodness!

Cate got in on the action, too. Not to be outdone, she began casting spells and matter- of-factly said her favorite wizard was Voldemort. The video below shows young Cate in action.



Do not worry. Cate skipped the last few movies, which were quite a bit more intense than the earlier ones.

During the last film, at one point I recommended to Nicholas that we turn it off and re-visit it in a few years because I was concerned about the turn the story might take. He protested and said that he wanted to see what happened. He made the case that he had come this far and that he loved traveling on the journey with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I tried to explain to him that that was the precise reason that I wanted to turn the movie off, but we forged ahead. I will not spoil the ending for you in case you have not seen the films, but it was quite a conclusion.

Despite the fact that the movies are all done, our interest in Harry Potter has not waned. Every other night, he and I read "The Sorcerer's Stone." He reads one page, and then I read five to ten pages. We should be done in the next few months at which point we will move on to the next one.

While we know how things will end, rediscovering the written story seems fresh and lively. I hope that we find other such treasures to share in life, and I hope they bring us closer together... even if that closeness is just to keep the bad guys away!