Easter gratitude

“So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” – Hebrews 13:6

This is special time of year. Though most of us take the time to get away from the grindstone of daily work to recharge or simply escape from it all, those of us in Christendom believe that Easter, more even than Christmas, is the real meaning behind all our beliefs. It is also the best time for us to express our gratitude, for all things. And I do mean all things.

It has been a difficult year for this writer, with major changes over the last 10 months, both personally and professionally. But there is so much to be thankful for. We don’t see the big picture, and what God has planned for us. All we have to go on is faith, and faith often requires believing when things don’t seem to go on the way you want them to. But as Jack Canfield says, you can drive from New York to California at night while only seeing the next hundred feet or so, thanks to your headlights.

To the sports fans of the Philippines, whose childlike appreciation of sports has made my job as chronicler and commentator so endlessly fulfilling and sometimes immensely maddening, thank you.Thank you for your cheers and shrieks of delight that fill our coliseums and gymnasiums. Without you, there would be nothing to report. Your reactions to the action give our work life.

To the Filipino athletes who toil in relative anonymity every day, meager allowances and all, their minds divided between their happiness as athletes and their obligations as heads of families, eldest children, providers. Thank you for being steadfast despite your challenges. Thank you for the sweat, and the tears that nobody sees. Thank you for being the backbone of our national teams, national pools. Thank you for leaving your homes in the provinces, for choosing your calling over your old life.

To our sports officials who are doing what it takes to give our athletes the best of everything, thank you. It is a known fact that in sports, the athletes are always the beneficiaries, and there are benefactors who magnanimously choose to donate their resources for our athletes to have an equal chance against their rivals. Success isn’t cheap, especially when the only reward is a medal that the rich don’t really need, but give others a chance to get.

To sports idols like Manny Pacquiao, Paeng Nepomuceano, our other world champions, PBA players and the like, thank you for being an inspiration. In the sporting world, you represent what everyone wants to achieve, a way out of mediocrity, a path to success. May everyone see that you are not perfect, but outstandingly human, and that makes your achievements all the more remarkable. Thank you. In many ways, you keep your countrymen going when they could just as easily give up.

To those who back relatively new sports, thank you. You are broadening the base for people to enjoy sports and improve their health. More sports means more participants, more sponsors, more patrons, more fans, and more chances to achieve excellence. Yoru trailblazing spirit is also helping those who do not do well in more popular sports find their place in the world. A new opportunity always gives more people hope and happiness.

To parents who lead their childen into sports, thank you. You are strengthening our nation, teaching the next generation values, and keeping them away from harmful distractions. Properly guided, they will prove to be resourceful, resilient, strong, team players who know how to follow rules. Your children will also overcome illnesses, allergies and other physical problems, and will be more intelligent and sharper than their peers. You are doing us and them a huge favor.

To all who teach sports, and coach, thank you. Your selfless giving makes other better, and they succeed through your instruction. Thank you for being examples, sometimes also of what not to do. Thank you for molding future players, coaches, trainers and officials. Thank you for being the first leaders they experience.

And to all the readers of The STAR’s sports section, thank you, for being there.