My Blog time has been cut off at the knees by the Briar, a week-long Men's Curling Event!!
Such a noisy and breathtaking week....
A pleasure to see young men spending their time being enthusiastic about sports
instead of finding their danger and excitement
in the skies and the battlefields of Europe,
as it was in my generation.
Charles spent time as a young man in Scotland training on heavy bombers.
Today young curling enthusiasts go to Scotland to indulge in that wonderful ancient game of chasing rocks around the ice.
Today, as it was then, the conflict is about skill and dedication and comradeship
but the activities that bond these young people is healthier
and doesn't bear with it the terrible danger and loss of life.
The bonds between participants are probably not as intense
as those between the bands of brothers
who have faced flak and searchlights and missiles -
and ten or twelve hours flying,cramped and cold
over enemy territory,
never assured of their safe return.
but there must be a fondness, or maybe a passion
for the game,
and those who you share it with ,
that follows you into your more mature years.
At least judging by the old fellows who cheered and hooted and hollered in the stands.
and its long and ancient history
Towards the end of March the Scotties Tournament of Hearts,
a women's curling event
will dominates the sports channels
for a whole week!!!
I am weaving these days so I will have a
stock of tea towels to hem
while I watch.
5 comments:
They were showing the wheelchair curling from the Paralympics on TV recently. As there is no sweeping in the wheelchair version of the game, the competitors speed the stones on their way by shouting at them!
I know nothing at all about curling, but I hope and wish that the passion of young (and old) could be always directed toward that type of competition instead of the other we remember (you more personally affected than I) .
During the Olympics I read an article about how the sport of curling encourages and respects politeness and forbids trash talking as well as physical fouling. (I think that is a correct summary, but I didn't go back to check my facts and it has been a while since I read the story.)
Yes Sallie - a gentleman's game!!!
John...brooms or not there is still a lot of shouting and hollering..probably the sweepers respond better than the stones would by themselves. Who knows with this ancient and mystical game!
We recorded several old movies on TNT during Oscar month, and have been enjoying them immensely. As we watched an old 1946 movie, The Best Years of Our Lives, last evening about the lives of three U.S servicemen and the problems they faced when they returned home after World War II, I couldn't help thinking about "the bonds between participants," of which you write.
Happy weaving and happy curling! (And, since I know nothing about curling, I shall have to google it.)
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