4 Until

i am not a football fan.  i don't like a game that takes forever to go from one side of the field to another. the ticket prices are enough to cover your income taxes.  and on the holiest of holy days, the main attractions are the commercials and the half-time show (especially to see if some forbidden word slips out of the performer's mouth or some body part falls out of..  well, where it belongs).

coming from a family (dad and brother) that loved football, i learned a few things from hearing the tv blast away. while mom, kathy, and i were cleaning the kitchen after sunday dinner, i would pick-up some football jargon.  some phrases were met with a loud groan from the crowd (pass incomplete) or a crazy loud cheer (touchdown). but one call was a uniquely tense call.  the announcer would say, "fourth down and 1 yard to go".  i remember it as "close yet so far away".   eventually, the tension would fall away as the crowd's reaction would announce the result of the play.

sometimes, even though we want something so badly, it remains fourth down and 1 yard to go.  we are almost there but not.  it's the fourth down and we have one more chance.  it's a set up for anxiety.  we would do almost anything to cross that line, even if it's just that big toe.

but as many stories reveal, we must wait it out until...  it's the 'untils' in life that take courage, patience, and a big ole' honkin' stress ball to squeeze.  the untils will come in their own time.