My G.O.D.
My Goal of the Day

Last night at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Sam Kerr, captain and striker for The Matildas Australian Women’s World Cup soccer team, kicked an awesome equalizing goal in the semi-final against England’s Lionesses. However, the Lionesses responded with two more goals to win the match 3 – 1.

I don’t know if there’s ever been this level of excitement in Australia for any soccer team or match in a women’s or men’s world cup, certainly not in our household.

Both on the ground and around the world in front of TV screens we joined in the cheering with each attempt at goal, each save or potential play, marveling at the players’ ability to control the ball, their teamwork and ability to come back, to recover after each tackle, missed goal or disappointment.

This morning, while attempting to focus within, I started to think about goals, specifically my goal. And it immediately became clear that my goal today, in this moment is as it’s always been and will be:

Accept and appreciate this breath, this moment of peace and be prepared to give or share that peace with others.

It’s a good human goal and one that can be achieved, one that’s no less awesome than Sam Kerr’s goal kicking, one that requires no less practice than a professional athlete and has no less an adversary than a professional team because this adversary is within and without, inside and out, although the outside adversaries tend to become magnified by our ability to project our mind’s fears and insecurities onto the silkscreen of reality.

At the end of the day, my goals are not cheered on by a crowd of supporters – unless those behind the veil are included – but by the simple feeling of gratitude for another day well lived and a night’s sleep well deserved.