My Hockey Mom Prayer
(By Nelsa Roberto)
May I find the best route to the hockey arena in rush hour traffic. May there not be any road closures, beginner drivers or other stressed out hockey parents in my path.
May The Girl have remembered all her equipment. May I hold my incredulous yell of frustration back when we're running late and she tells me that she MIGHT have left her hockey gloves on the floor back home.
May I find the grace not to scream at an opposing player who has just elbowed my daughter in the head.
May I find a spot in the arena that is actually under a working heater.
May I not get sick of Tim Horton's coffee, bagels, sandwiches and Timbits in the next eight months.
May I try, for once, to just enjoy the game and not get stressed out and embarrass my daughter by screaming in the third period "Jesus, Mary and Joseph! SKATE!!!!!!!"
May I have the right words to comfort and encourage her when she has a bad game and the exuberance to celebrate with her when she has a good one.
May I remember that she loves this freezing, time-consuming, money-sucking sport and that she is a thing of beauty when she skates.
And, most of all, may I remember that her childhood is passing all too quickly and that, one day, I will actually miss all the time we spent in the van hustling back and forth between arenas. One day I will wish for that time back so let me hold it in my memory as long as I can because it is flying away from me, faster than my daughter on hockey skates.
Note: Player Gender was adapted.
