Hindsight: PLAY

(Writer's Note: This article was originally posted on the digital platform, LaxAllStars.com or a random, short, but detailed post on Instagram a few years ago.)

There's that saying: "Hindsight will always be 20/20."

I keep this digital pic on my desktop homepage with this quote from Albert Einstein as a constant reminder. I took that photo one weekend morning back in 2013, after I just moved to the 'burbs. Social outlets were mostly hanging with other parents, talking about work, our kids and everyday adult-ing. Nobody wanted to talk lacrosse, or art. It became boring real quick. Needless to say, I wasn't truly meeting people and being myself around others.

But a customer of mine who lived in the next town over, contacted and invited me over for shootout around sessions with his son in his backyard. While it wasn't a full field game, it was a format that I was always felt comfortable - getting lacrosse balls shot at me in goal. Each session had jokes and laughs, along with others - strangers - who were also invited by the person who organized these hangouts. I started to feel 'normal'.

One session shifted from the backyard to a very early morning, full field, 10v10 pick-up game in Manhattan. And it was there, where I found more players based in my, now suburban area, who still kept on living the dream of playing this amazing game. I felt like I struck gold.

Fast-forward to 2017 and this group photo, below, was taken on the night of my birthday, playing in an indoor game with some of the guys that I met that very early morning in Manhattan. At this point we had a regular schedule having already established a league playing all-year round. There was one year, I played in more lacrosse games than my combined, four years in high school. It was crazy, because I thought that adult-ing meant that there was no time for such things anymore. I'm glad that I was, in a way, not only surprised, but proven wrong.

TAKEAWAYS:

It's one thing to be in a group that makes you feel lonely, and it's a polar opposite when you've found your peeps. Keep on the hunt, and if you can, make sure to always play your part as a grower, but most of all: a connector. And lastly, hindsight will always be 20/20.