Leaving the grocery store the other day a guy was walking towards me with an open coat- the visible message on his t-shirt were the words:

ANGER

HOCKEY

It made me laugh when I realized the “R” and the “S” were covered and in reality it said:

RANGERS

HOCKEY

People are always amazed that I am a hockey fan… it is a spiritual experience for me. In February of 2014 my television mysteriously changed the channel to the Olympic Hockey competition and I was hooked. I soon felt spirit in the room enjoying this competition alongside me.  Hockey fascinates me; it is somehow graceful and merciless at the same time. Swiftly these young men skate around  often taking spills that would leave me lifeless and broken I am sure, but they get up shake it off and resume their mission, whacking a little black puck around on the ice, surely this is important stuff. Their determination reminds me of toddlers first learning to walk, forever falling down and getting up because you just can’t give up and yes once in a while if you act poorly –  you end up in the penalty box to think about your behavior ultimately giving the other team the advantage.  So “ANGER HOCKEY” seems apropos.

However,  I envy these guys in a way-letting off steam AT work appears to make them well balanced individuals off the ice in everyday life who love what they do and give back to their communities.  Most recently I saw a video of PK Subban of the Montreal Canadians who donated 10 million dollars to a children’s hospital in Canada.  He was hosting a Christmas event for sick kids and when one of them mentioned he had seen him on TV playing hockey his response was “Yeah, I do that a lot…” clearly this was just as important to him, giving to others. He was quoted as saying: “In life I believe you are not defined by what you accomplish, but by what you do for others.”  I think about this as I am getting ready for yet another weekend of working in my chosen field of hospice, it is as far away from hockey as one can get, but I love it just the same.  I take with me the lessons I have learnt from watching hockey, when you fall- get back up , never lose sight of your goals and mostly – when you are blessed to do something you love in life-giving back is the real meaning of it all.