WEDNESDAY (MARCH 30th): FROM AFAR?

As a football fan, I have easily fallen for any game that involves the sport. From paper table soccer to biro cover + button table soccer to kantas table soccer to football video games. That’s about how far I have gone for the love of the sport. Foil paper was a very valuable possession during the table soccer times. That was the best material used to make the ball. It was almost as if when anybody brought ice cream home, the thing that would come to mind is to ensure the security of the foil paper used to cover the ice cream. Fast forward and table soccer has been modernized. I had never for once fancied this modernized type of the game so I think I only tried playing it once when I was much younger. It just didn’t feel like the ones from back in the day. It’s funny how I just didn’t like or fancy the game even though I hadn’t given it a proper shot. I hadn’t given it the benefit of doubt. I just didn’t like it from afar. Sounds familiar? Just like how we just merely observe someone, judge and despise the person without even knowing him or her, without even giving the person a chance. Everybody na law person. Judges of the jungle. But when we then get to know the person, we secretly ask God for forgiveness for misjudging or underrating the individual. He or she then turns out to be the friend or family we hoped for but never had.  Crazy world.

Anyway, today I gave the modernized table soccer game (foosball) a chance in my life. Thanks to Francis, a friend I just made. He’s quite good in the game and he asked me about the game recently when he saw the table in the reception of my residence. I just showed my usual lack of interest in the game. But today, I decided to give it a go. We played and played till the 7^th game. I lost 5 of the 7 games and won 2, but Francis can testify that I still gave him a hard time after understanding the game.

My people, lo and behold, I have fallen in love with the game! After all these years of disliking it from afar, I finally fell in love after giving it a chance. As a matter of fact, I am looking forward to the next game.

So I have been reminded from this experience, never to judge from afar, never to conclude or hate from afar, but to rather give that thing or person a chance. A shot. A benefit of doubt. I think it is safe to say that everything or person we encounter deserves to be understood first.