Hurry up Hockey!

“Hard times, baby well they come to us all……..sure as the ticking of the clock on the wall…..”
Bruce Springsteen
Waiting on a Sunny Day


It’s early August and we are still a ways away from the Hockey season but it is so good to know it is approaching.

Earlier this week my wife and I were sitting watching the news and my eight year old was there listening to us not saying much. As I am sure most conversations around that time were about a lot of heavy issues. There was the ongoing story about the hard feelings of the national debt debacle, then on to the horrific and terrible story of the thirty special force soldiers lost to enemy fire and then to talk of the stock market crashing over six hundred points. Needless to say the conversation was less than upbeat. After this went on for quite a while my eight year old piped up and came out with this: “Dad, I wish hockey season would hurry up……we don’t have all these problems during hockey season……”

It is amazing that a simple statement by an eight year old can put things into perspective. He is on to something. Yes I know that bad things are happening all the time but isn’t it amazing how a hockey season can help us cope and get by. It is what is truly great about the game no matter what age you are or level you are involved with. Sometimes we just need the eight year olds to remind us.

I am a firm believer in letting kids take a break from the game. I just really loved the feeling when I was a kid of taking a break in the summer and doing some other things. There is something special in putting your old gear back on in August and seeing how much you’ve grown and telling mom and dad you need new gear! That being said, there is also something refreshing with the birth of a new season.

Well we are getting down to it. Time to buy more gear and get a welcome hiatus from the ongoing brutal news we seem to be dealing with each night. Like I said, I know there will always be tough news but nothing a real good hockey game can’t fight off for a while…….So whether you are an eight year old, a forty eight year old  longing for the earlier days or an eighty eight year old fan that loves to watch the game, ….Let’s all say it together….. “Hurry up hockey!”