My Two Cents: BELIEVE

"He wants to play, but he's just too small."

I over heard one of the mom's at Gussies' school say this.

"He wants to play, but he's just too small."

I was recently standing amongst a group of parents one afternoon all patiently waiting to pick up our kids from school when my ears suddenly perked up and I began to listen in on a nearby conversation.

They were talking basketball.

There were a group of moms who were standing right behind me chatting about the schools basketball team and how well the team did this year.

Gussie still hadn't come down, so I thought I tune in while I waited.

One of the moms began admiringly talking about how much her son loves the game of basketball. She described his passion and commitment for the sport. She shared that he goes out to play ball almost every chance he gets and when he is on the court playing he is relentless and unwilling to give up.

I nodded to myself, approvingly.

I heard her say, "He wants to go out for the team next year."

I smiled and thought, "My kind of guy".

And then she said, again --

"He wants to play, but he's just too small."

She rattled off a number of concerns and doubts all having to do with her son's lack of height and weight and how that would inevitably, negatively impact his chances of making the team.

"Enough." My concern alarm had gone off!

And suddenly, without thinking, I join the conversation.

"Uh, Steve Nash, one of the smallest guards in the NBA, won the Most Valuable Player award both this year and last year ", I said. "People said he was too small for the game."

"Steve who?" their expressions seemed to say as they wondered which one had invited me in.

Gussie appeared from out of nowhere pestering me that it was time to go.

Shame to let a little detail like height get in the way...

"Just make sure he shows up for tryouts." I yelled back as Gussie and I walked away.

"Just make sure he gets his chance to PLAY!"

That's my two cents (for whatever it's worth),

Auguste Roc
auguste@danaroc.com