Long, Strange Journey
I am in the driver’s seat. I am idling behind a truck and not moving much. Excitement could be heard around the vessel of my vehicle from the locals. The faces who are the sources of the volume are not seen, but understood as that of Nation. As the radio plays with the raspy voices of the announcers in which have described the actions of football for the last 4 hours. I look through the driver’s side window to my left and witness Deuce Latui urinating.
I don’t believe it was the actual Latui, but I didn’t I.D. him so it may very well have been.
Rather, he was a very overweight Hispanic gentleman who was wobbling as he was trying to remain balanced for this very important action. I don’t believe Mr. Latui was urinating on his car, but that of another one of his nation brothers.
This urinating lasted for a good few minutes before he concluded. After in which, he gave a few fellow fans high fives and gave a bear hug to a female. I am assuming it was his significant other and he whipped those urine soaked claws all over her back.
The pond that was left on the tire of that Ford Truck glistened in the light cast down by University of Phoenix Stadium like a diamond lost on the Sea of life.
I looked over to the Godfather. He knew what I was thinking but we were too exhausted to give any logical reason for what we witnessed. In unison all we could must was:
“Nation!”
How did I get here you might ask? How did I get the once in a lifetime opportunity to see a gentleman christen a tire like that? Sit back my friends, and enjoy this Long, Strange Journey!
Entering the game on the evening of November 10, the Red Nation had not faired well on Monday Night Football. The last time three games on Monday Night had been losses. The Nation had never won a home Monday Night game in their history in Arizona.
We call that karma and after experiencing the game on Monday, we could official say there is a karmic switch going on before our eyes this season.
The theme of the evening was based on Aeneus Williams. Williams was one of the greatest Cardinals ever and probably the greatest Cardinal I have ever seen play.
He will be minted in the mind of the Nation for many key plays and none bigger than the last time the Cardinals hosted the Niners on Monday Night Football.
Williams came in off of the corner on a blitz and sacked Steve Young. That would be the last play in Young’s Hall of Fame career.
Williams went to a knee next to Young and dropped his head in prayer. He didn’t dance and gloat because he had sacked him. But, rather he prayed that he would be ok. That is the kind of player and man he is. He was a class act and Nation!
Therefore, it seems fitting that on a night when the Nation entered Williams into the rafters they flip karma on its head. Williams is named after the mythological character Aeneas.
Without getting into too much mythology, Aeneas is understood as the life-death-rebirth deity.
Life-Death-Rebirth
This is the known balance of action in our life. Every moment we live in, the moment dies, but then is reborn through the next moment.
The Cardinals had life before the game. They were heavily favored with a comfortable lead in the division. They were about to get all of the exposure they had been dreaming. They had created a high expectation for self in which the product was impossible to reach.
They set themselves up for failure. The opening kick off was returned for a touchdown. They didn’t take their first lead of the game onto there were only 4 minutes remaining in the game. They caused 5 turnovers in the final quarter. Two were given right back by penalties. And, they still needed a goal line stop with 2 seconds left to win the game.
Within one game, Nation had life, death and a rebirth.
No journey is ever worth while if there is no struggle. The spoiled person is the one that never appreciates anything because they never truly earned anything. If the Cardinals came out and won the game the way they were expected to, there would be no trial. There would be no test of will.
This win builds character.
As in life, the road that is the most winding is the one in which will have the most complete traveler. We grow as individuals by the actions we take and how we carry ourselves in the worst of situations.
Ask Latui about the journey. He would not be wobbling and hugging his closest friends and loved ones if the Nation had won by 4 touchdowns. There would have been no drama if they played up to the level they were supposed to and did the expected.
Love the unexpected in life and you will be happy. If you begin to get stressed out and become overwhelmed when things get difficult, you need to relax. The mantra of “No drama” is the best way to deal with drama.
Just continue to breath in every moment. Take everything as it is supposed to happen in your life. Continue to back the Cardinals as they take their Nation onto the play-offs.
As with the Cardinals, your own life should be a winding road and a long, strange journey. Once it begins to get boring, something will change everything and challenge you again.
Be aware and ready for everything!
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