Kairos

February 5, 2023

Because the Eagles are in the Superbowl, a repost. What will you do when you meet your kairos.

Fly Eagles Fly!

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I bought the tickets months ago thinking… January is quiet. January is sleepy. January is when you can enjoy a show and relish it which can be hard in the midst of the Christmas bustle… So I bought the tickets. And later realized the little voice in the back of my head whispering… there is going to be something that night came to fruition. Feeling tres miserable realizing I bought the tickets to Les Miserable for the same night as the Eagles playoff game. And like any time I dismissed the little voice in the back of my head, it was right. C’est tres vrai, Les Miserable.

I called the theater and tried to move the date but that meant seats spread apart and to be honest I seem to care more about this than anyone. Me. Who still doesn’t even understand football. What are downs anyway? And I don’t want to sound critical, especially of something I don’t understand, but it seems like a lot of time is wasted during football games. A lot of stopping the game, setting up plays, time outs, more time outs, halftime, the referees stopping everything to discuss a play. I think they could shave off at least an hour if they took a step back and really evaluated it. But then I guess that means less commercials and … anyway… Me who cringes with every tackle, and says things that are met with eye rolls and ‘Mommmm’ like ‘someone is going to get really hurt. I mean look at that poor guy’… ‘was that really needed?’, ‘isn’t there an unnecessary roughness rule?’ They need some Mom refs out there. Things would change pretty quickly.

I didn’t even watch the last game. We went to our closest friends in Eagle regalia and my friend and I adjourned to the dining room where we poured over photos from high school and college. And read letter after letter from friends, and beaus, and family laughing until we had to dry our eyes, remembering us at 17, and 18, and 20. We emerged from our visit down memory lane thrilled to hear the Eagles won.

Philadelphia is electric with Eagles love. They sang Fly Eagles Fly at the start of my spin class this morning and during the morning announcements at the schools. Septa buses beating GO EAGLES between stops, shop windows, stores, even Starbucks has a specialty drink displaying Eagle pride. I wore my Eagles shirt to mass, buttoned my jacket to the top not allowing my impropriety to show. And when they asked us to pray for our special intentions I bowed my head and asked for the Eagles to win.

The priest spoke of kairos, and decisions, action, opportunity meeting divine timing and happiness. Kairos, the idea turning in my head all day, what will you do when you meet your kairos. Tonight maybe the Eagles will find theirs. But whatever the score, whoever the victor, it is has been an exhilarating season, and in my book we are always winners. So while I sit and drink in some of the most touching and beautiful music ever written, my heart will be beating green.

You have to admit – the Eagles have a great song! FLY EAGLES FLY!!

Written by Mary Kate O’Malley