Football is life
Winter sports season is in full swing at Roslyn Pharmacy. Kids running in to grab last-minute mouthguards, reeking of liniment. Mums taking the kids to the physio then popping in for strapping tape. Dads, reliving their glory days - asking about heat rubs and ice packs and whether their dodgy knee is ever going to come right (look mate, I'm not a miracle worker - but let's try anyway). They're all busy - but they're all happy. Good energy. Positive vibes.
I read a quote recently that really struck a chord. Pope John Paul II reportedly said: "Of all the unimportant things in life, football is the most important."
The longer I sit with that line, the more I think he was onto something profound.
I love sport. No, I truly love sport. It's the perfect analogy for almost everything that matters. You train and practise with your mates. You get physically stronger. You compete and collaborate. Then it's match day and, well… (ohhh my beloved Highlanders) you learn to do your best, on that day, with what you have. And when it's done, you shake hands and go again next week.
But here's what I've noticed: people who are passionate about sport are at their happiest when they're talking about it. The bloke who can recite every All Blacks lineup since 1987 - going into a kind of "flow" state as he tells me the game isn't as good as it used to be. The cricket-mad nana who hits me with a "well, actually, Richard Hadlee's win percentage in tests is better than Kane's, and that's why Hadlee is the one true GOAT of New Zealand cricket." There's a lightness to it. A joy.
So what if following sport is a secret to happiness? What if being passionate about unimportant things is the secret to happiness - and being passionate about important things is precisely what makes us miserable?
And that misery, in today's world, is hyper-sensitised by algorithms, comment sections, and tribes - every world emergency streamed directly into our consciousness, twenty-four hours a day. The human brain didn't evolve to handle all of that in real time. You can't care about everything, and you'll go insane if you try. Better to care about things that are local, or things you can actually do something about.
So how do we start getting passionate about unimportant things? How do we move on from politics, wars, and the endless economic dross?
Pick something. Immerse yourself. Gardening, jazz music, learning to dance, restoring an old bike - it doesn't matter. Find people who can teach you, ride the wave, embrace the journey. Have fun.
And if you want to follow sport, here's my advice: pick a side and barrack for them no matter what. (Speaking of which - this June is the Football World Cup, so pick our beloved underdog All Whites as they take on the world!!) No one likes a bandwagon fan - the type who only shows up when the team is winning. Bonus tip: never choose a marquee team to barrack for unless you have a genuine connection. So no cheering for Man United, the Yankees, or the Lakers, ok? (The Lakers? Absolutely not. Honestly. They suck.)
So this month, take a second to think about the unimportant things, rather than the important things. It might just make you feel a little lighter. Then pop in and tell me what made you smile - I'll be the guy in the dispensary, wearing the All Whites merch, with the NZ flag as a cape.
Go the mighty All Whites!! - till next month
Andy and the team at Roslyn Pharmacy - Dunedins Friendliest Pharmacy