It seems like this online learning community that I have is always encouraging me to push myself and try new things. I know that writing more will make me a better writing teacher: so off we go.
Slice of Life Stories hosted
by the Two Writing Teachers
l
On Saturday my wife took me to a Michigan State University basketball game. It was our first game since we became parents 5 years ago. Walking into the Jack Breslin Student Event Center (we named our son Breslin because of this place) for the first time in 5+ years was amazing.
k
The first thing we always do when we go to the Breslin Center is look at all the trophies and championship banners. I tell my wife stories about each trophy and we reminisce about games we watched together. We then proceed to walk a complete loop around the arena to take everything in: interesting college students (looking much younger than I remember), rich alumni (giant gold MSU necklaces), and the dance team (I would feel uncomfortable if my daughter walked around in a uniform like that).
k
As we hiked up the stands to our seats in the nosebleed section, I felt like the luckiest man in the world. When I met my wife in high school she knew nothing of my beloved Spartans, but out of pure love she has become a die-hard passionate fan.
k
It seems like television and media always stresses the importance of couples having a ton in common. My wife and I fell for each other because we had a lot in common. I think that we fell in love with each other because we took the time to love and become a part of each others passions (I have no idea if that last sentence makes any sense. It does to me).
sharpread 
Get out! That’s so romantic I LOVE it. Yes – it make sense and is so true. I remember the first year of marriage and we were so opposite. I loved the beach, he love museums. I thought this can’t last, but this year will be 20 years and we’ve done just that. Like you said – We’ve become a part of each other’s lives.
I’m nervous too, but getting addicted to reading everyone’s posts!
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Yeah
It made sense to me — and love how your wife is now a fan right alongside you.
I recently took my two older boys to a UMass basketball game. They are ball players, too, so being close to the floor and taking in the entire scene is a rich experience for them. And New York Giants star wide receiver Victor Cruz (a UMass grad) was in the house that night and gave an impassioned talk to the crowd about the importance of college and of UMass. That was pretty cool.
Kevin
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I love how you pair hiking up to the nosebleed seats with being lucky. It really shows the depth of your fandom. Any seat in the house is a good one! There are many things I’ve learned to love over the years because of my husband and things he loves because of me. That’s what makes life great! Welcome to the SOL challenge.
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Your last sentence makes sense to me too. Love the name Breslin!
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Colby, if more people saw relationships the way you and your wife do this world would be a better place. Thank you for sharing.
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Your post made me smile I often joke with people that I became a sports fan by marriage. I never expected to find such peace and joy simply watching sports with my husband and now our two boys.
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Colby, you did it! Welcome to the challenge! (Now, start writing for day #2 . . . )
What a sweet slice that I hope you share with your wife. I loved your description of walking around the arena and the various people you observed. By the way, the last sentence makes perfect sense and that’s the way it should be – I can say the same for my hubby too! Except, his alma mater is UW-Madision and mine is U of I – Urbana. No allegiance to a Big Ten school. We are split on that. 🙂 Well, we could agree to root against the Spartans . . .
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Chad and I met when we were in college at NIU. We lived across the hall from each other in one of the residence halls. He was a manager for the football all through college so we loved football and Huskie football will always have a special place in our hearts. We didn’t get to watch a game together until we graduated because he was always on the field with the team but it was a lot of fun. I can’t wait to take our kids to games. 🙂
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I.WENT.TO.NIU!!! When did you go? Where did you live? I lived in Grant South!! small world.
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Colby,
Commonalities are important. My high school sweetie (now my husband) won my heart by handing me a duffle bag of science fiction novels. Yes, #nerdybookclub from the start.
I’m new to this challenge, too. As always (like with Nerdbery), having a community cheering us along should help us manage the challenge.
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Your last sentence absolutely made sense and what a wonderful way to state it. This is such a sweet slice of being together for all the right reasons. I am looking forward to reading more.
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Love your post, Colby! I’m in a different part of the Big Ten – U of I – which has struggled greatly for the past few years. You, however, have my absolute favorite coach ever in Izzo.
Love the part about you and your wife and what brings people together.
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Great post. What a special memory for you and your wife (and your kids in the future). I enjoyed how you interjected your thoughts into your observations!
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Great you were able to return to all those good memories. It’s lovely to hear about your relationship and how it has worked. I think loving another person means you love who they are in their passions, too, just as you expressed. And it expands us as people, lets us do some new learning and be grateful for the companionship we have in that. Welcome to the slicing month of March, Colby. I am such a Nerdy Book Club fan so it’s lovely to see you here too!
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This post just made me smile. I am a firm believer having things in common is good when you start out–but you can also learn to enjoy the other’s passions. And, sometimes, you let the other have their passion and cheer them on from the sidelines.
Thanks for sharing—and Go Hawks! (sorry, couldn’t resist that)
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Love your romantic post. I work with Ruth in our school district and one facet of our jobs is to provide pd to teachers. Our latest topic: What’s Your Passion? Our goal is to lead teachers in reflecting on the messages we are sending to our students. Are we sending a message of passion for reading and writing? We love your video clip about sharing your passion for reading to students at the beginning of the year and it. Teachers love it and I smile each time I watch it. Thank you!
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Lots of things in your post made perfect sense to me Colby. Well done. Now I feel like a slacker for naming my son after Hank Aaron. I should have name him ‘Shoe. 🙂
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I love that you and your wife have discovered the passion of one another through the years. What a gift that will last you for your entire life!
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I love how you took this moment and made it into a story about your relationship with your wife. Your message came across clearly and made perfect sense! Your children are lucky to have such a solid relationship to guide them.
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It’s late…but I wanted to read your slice. I love slices about true love.
Um, yeah…that last sentence makes sense. A lot of sense.
Thanks for being brave. (And I get it now…you can’t be brave without scared.)
And…is your wife joining the challenge? I bet she has a great voice too.
Happy writing (or maybe I should say “scary writing” if that’s what it takes for slices like this),
Ruth
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As a basketball fan and mother of a former high school player, I loved the way you described the feel of a game and the excitement leading up to it. As a wife, I loved the way you described finding each other’s passions. That really is what making a successful marriage is all about. I think I’ll share this with my (now college-aged) son who is trying to figutre out his relationship with his girlfriend. Can’t wait to read more of your work!
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