Shared Joy

There's no crying in football...unless you've just won the SuperBowl and are sharing that moment with your baby boy.

I barely made it through the SuperBowl without falling asleep; even the commercials hardly kept me awake (although the Troy Polamalu and TruTV commercial and Doritos' House Rules commercial were pretty humorous). But I was energized when the underdog's victory was confirmed with 3 minutes left in the game after Peyton Manning threw an unfortunate interception leading to the final touchdown for the Saints. Across the country, celebrations began, if they hadn't already started. New Orleans was back - as a city ravaged and rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, the Saints' win helped affirm the revival of the city and its residents and all the hope that surrounded them. Who wouldn't be happy about the Saints' win and what that win stood for?

It may have been at that time - or a few minutes later - that my tears started flowing. I'd like to blame it on post-partum hormones, but my spirit would have always been moved at the sight of Drew Brees and his son. Perhaps the moment and its sweetness was magnified since I now have a son of my own, but tears were definitely shed as I watched a proud father share a priceless moment with his little boy.

Of course I don't know Drew Brees and am not even a Saints fan, but moments of shared joy get me every time. Whether its sharing joy with my neighbor as we watch her 3-year old "dance" at her dance recital, or as I watch a handicapped stranger race in a local 5k event, or as I watch students perform choreographed moves on stage, my eyes always well-up with tears of joy and pride for these people. They may not know that they are bringing me joy - or that I sense their joy, but the moment is special and sweet.

Even sweeter is when my son, only 2 months old, can bring joy to others simply by being! More than once, whether it was my mom, or other "mom" figures in our lives, I have watched eyes well-up with tears of joy just by looking at my son as he joyfully observes his little world. If only we can have more joy-filled moments in our hectic days...and acknowledge the joy multiplied.

Photo from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/07/drew-brees-son-baylen-cel_n_452946.html