A HAPPY PROBLEM

OR I AM SURE TO WIN AND LOSE

I have been a Celtics fan since the Larry Bird era.  
Let me give you some idea of  how much I loved Bird.  When I took the  wonderful job at the University of Cincinnati in 1984 one of the inducements was that I  would be close to Larry's home state, Indiana. 
We moved to Cincy in the summer and  before classes started in September I made a sort of pilgrimage to French Lick, Larry Bird's home town. Once I got there I  drove up and down the streets to see if there was anything  to commemorate Larry.

  Believe it or not I came upon a  place called Bird's Liquors.  I parked and walked in and there greeting me at the entrance was a larger than life cardboard image of Larry  in his Celtics  uniform--very short shorts you may recall!

I walked in  and  there behind the counter was an older version of Larry standing  at the cash register. There was no mistaking him--tall, blonde hair, heavier and older but decidedly similar. I walked  up and asked if he was Larry's brother and he said  -Yes.  

That was enough for me.  I bought a  huge poster of Larry standing with his basketball. And when  I got my new office in the  English Department I put that poster up on the back of the office door.  Students who came to speak to me usually did not notice it until they turned to leave the office and there they  came face to face with a towering  image of Bird  on the back of my door.

 When the season started  I actually reserved two tickets to a Celtics game in Indianapolis and drove over there with my husband to attend my first NBA  game.

I learned that we  could also get reduced faculty seats to Bearcat games at UC, and the next year we bought two excellent season seats and  my passion for basketball was set aflame.

Although when he began to play  in the NBA I became aware of LeBron's talents,  I did not get caught up in his story. Although I always enjoyed watching him play.
Then when LeBron returned from Miami to Cleveland, he won my heart. And when he finally succeeded in taking  the Cavaliers to the Finals I was  enthralled. 
At that time I was recovering from two surgeries and I was discouraged, I remember listening to LeBron express his confidence in his team. And he said something about the need for confidence. He explained that they would not  be going to the  Finals if they did not have confidence. He asked--Do you think I could have come this far without confidence?

I thought about his words and applied them to my situation.  I must have confidence that the surgeon had removed all the cancer.  My attitude would not change the facts-- after all the surgeon, the famous Doctor Atul Gawande, had completed his job--but my life would be a different life if I could live it with confidence.    
Confidence changes the way a player plays. LeBron said that, and confidence would change the way I live.  I was grateful for his words and I followed his advice and I have had confidence in him ever since.

So when the Cavs and Celtics compete this afternoon  I will be in the lucky position : no matter which wins I will be rooting for  the winner.  I am not going to pick sides, I am  going to enjoy a fascinating match up. I only hope it is not a sweep because both teams deserve better than that.