Photo by Sebastian Wienroth

I sat with a friend in a tiny park today, watching young boys kick a soccer ball around.  I couldn’t tell if it was two teams or just kids having fun.  I was having fun experiencing the pure joy of them “going for it”.

I took a photo of the action, but not the one you see.  My friend advised me that the boys would be recognizable in the picture, and therefore it was illegal to post it on the internet.  The photo above, although clearly not from Belgium, gives you a feel for the game.

No uniforms, no apparent strategy, just a lot of kicking, chasing and yelling.  I loved it!  Kids falling, kids skipping, passes usually off target.  The joie de vivre of the young ones – teachers of the old ones, if we’re willing to look.

The male teacher let the kids rumble over the makeshift playing field, with coats laid down as goalposts.  He let the bursting of ten-year-olds take over the local world, only speaking up when it was time to go.

Grass stains, muddy patches, sweaty faces … it was wondrous to behold.  I was lifted up in my soul.

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Thanks, kids

You taught me