Rant #1,172: Up To the Challenge

It goes without saying that I had a horrible day on Monday, got little accomplished, although I did get the satisfaction that at least I tried to do something, and I am supposedly pointed in the right direction now.

We will see.

The only good thing that I was able to do that day was to see my son play basketball in the Challenger Basketball League contest held at a local middle school.

This is a really great program, and with my son's impending graduation, this is it for him in the league. Monday was his final game.

The league is made up of kids who have some type of developmental disability, everything from simple learning disabilities to more serious problems.

These kids would never get the chance to play in an organized sport like this if it weren't for this league.

They get to wear the jerseys of their high school, there are cheerleaders, the works.

It makes these kids feel very important, and the fact of the matter is, they are important.

And it is important for these kids to get exercise, because with their various problems, these children are often couch potatoes, including my son.

Nowadays, there are numerous programs like this, and my son bowls in a Saturday afternoon league with much the same aim: get some exercise, socialize, and have fun.

My son's team lost, and they ended their season at 1-3.

But it really didn't matter. The kids had lots of fun, and felt good about themselves as the game progressed.

My son actually scored 12 points, had a couple of rebounds, and did pretty well.

But honestly, if he didn't score a point or grab a rebound, that would have sufficed.

He was having fun, and that is all that counted.

My son will miss this league when he graduates, but I am sure he will move onto something else as he starts his post-high school career.

But I am sure that he will never forget the fun that he had in this league.

I know that I won't.