Last night I watched an inspiring 30 for 30 ESPN episode about the Baltimore Colts marching band that kept playing for 12 years after the Colts left town for Indianapolis.
As one website reports, “In 1984, the erratic… owner of the Baltimore Colts, Robert Irsay, made a… decision to move the team… [and in the middle of the night] vans shipped the Colts’ possessions to Indianapolis. The next morning, fans awoke to the news in stunned disbelief. The team’s volunteer marching band was among the hardest hit. But the members dedicated themselves to bringing professional football back to Baltimore.”
The marching band decided to keep practicing and soon was invited to play during other halftime events around the country, even though they had no official team. Eventually, after keeping hope alive by sustaining the band for 12 years, a team from Cleveland moved to Baltimore and were re-named the Ravens. Today the Baltimore Ravens are a successful team in the NFL.
Sometimes, events unfold in our lives that are distressing and disorientating. Relationships fall apart, jobs unfold, we receive a negative test result, our beloved football team leaves town.
After such an event we have a choice – to keep playing or quit. To believe things will turn around, or they will keep heading in a negative direction. The Baltimore Colts marching band reminds us hope doesn’t keep track of time. Hope plays the long game. Hope keeps playing its instrument.
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