January 29, 2020

Strange how the minds work.  After completing the morning rituals of dressing, making the bed, sweeping the floors and taking morning meds, I am ready for some food.  Coffee, 4 oz. of fat free cottage cheese mixed with 1/3 cup of frozen blueberries.  Reheat a cup of coffee for hubby.  Time to settle in with the computer to complete the other morning ritual, eating breakfast while reading morning devotional.

Hubby has the TV on watching a local morning talk show.  Barry Sanders is discussing Rocket Mortgage and a give away on Super Bowl Sunday.  A long forgotten brain cell awakens.  Was Barry Sanders a friend of that football player that died?  No, Sanders is too young.  Brian Piccolo was the guy that died.  What was the TV movie's name?  With the laptop fired up and waiting the search begins.  "Brian's Song" was the movie and Gale Sayers was the friend.  I must click on the link. 

The article transports me back to the early 1970's.  Hubby and I sitting in our new home watching that made for TV movie.  The article reminds me of how segregated as a people we still were.  Sayers and Piccolo were the first black and white athlete to share a room. Now days that is common practice.  From that reminder my mind comes back to the present day.  And the recent death of Kobe Bryant, another iconic athlete. 

Lives cut short,  Piccolo was 26 when he died of cancer.  Kobe, 41, his daughter, 13.  Seven other lives were taken in the accident.  The seven others were coaches and three 13 year old team mates/friends of Bryant's daughter.  All taken too soon.  Different colors of skin riding together.  All friends in life, bound forever in death.

Another brain cell fires.  The armed forces were integrated the same year Jackie Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Robinson was the first black to play on the major leagues.  Previously persons of color played in separate leagues.  All of this was well before the integration of society in general here in the US.  Does that mean that professional athletics sort of leads the way at times?  As well as the armed services?  Possibly I need to take another look at Kaepernick’s action without the background noise.

Certainly something to think about this chilly, sunny morning in January.