On Football and Elizabeth Barrett Browning - Or There's no Fool Like an Old Fool

2 Things:

On Football - I saw my brother in law last night for the first time since Labor Day. My aunt and uncle invited a bunch of us out for a picnic, and after we ate we decided to play a little football. I have to say that though tennis is probably my "life sport", I love football better. It's really not possible to be a girl and have football be a serious part of your life as a player for very long - the onset of puberty put an end to my regular football playing... Anyway my son, my cousin and his kids, and all three of my brother-in-laws and I played some football (two hands anywhere). Three of us ended up limping off of the field of battle. The brother-in-law mentioned above wound up with a stress fracture in his leg. My mom's assessment: "You all are too old to be out there running around like that!" The problem is, that inside I'm still about 10 years old. I still want to play.

On Elizabeth Barrett Browning - I recently saw Chris Rice in concert. He asked the audience who was an EBB fan. I think alot of those kids had maybe never even read a single poem, though probably all would be familiar with the line, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." Mores the pity. What's not to love about EBB (her life and her poetry)?! The really interesting thing is that "How do I love thee..." line is far from the best line in that particular poem:

Sonnets from the Portuguese #43:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints!---I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!---and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death

At the mid point of my forties, I still aspire to a love like that! And to a continuation of my football career. Oh well, you know what they say, "There's no fool like an old fool."