I Hope They'll Have Fun

     As anyone who lives in the Philadelphia area knows all too well, being an Eagles fan is a frustrating and often times agonizing curse.  This year, more than any year that I can remember, they've sunk to near record levels of disappointment, especially given the pre-season expectations that they were one of the league's elite teams.  As a season ticket holder and avid fan, it's pretty rare for me to miss a game.  However, I'm headed to Birmingham tomorrow and will therefore have to watch the Monday night game on TV.  On the positive side, this at least gave me the opportunity to give my tickets to someone else who might not otherwise be able to get to very many games.

     In this case, I was able to give my tickets to a family friend - a young man who works with many high school students.  For them, it should be a special treat (and they'll probably even be able to stay awake long enough to see the end!).  I hope that they'll be able to enjoy the game, in spite of the level of play the Eagles are likely to put on display.

     As I was thinking about giving away my tickets, I noticed this sense of excitement that I had something that a fair number of people might want and enjoy, and it was fun to think of who best to give it to.  It's great to be able to make someone else's day, and in truth, it was no big deal to me since the money was already spent and I couldn't go anyway.

     In some respects, I wonder if this is what it feels like (though on a much different scale) when some rich person like an athlete donates a million dollars to some particular cause.  It must be fun to be able to do things like that, knowing the kind of impact it can have.  On the one hand, the sacrifice they're making is pretty insignificant given the size of their wealth, and in fact may be much less sacrifice than someone who gives $25 when they had so little to give.  And yet, there's no denying that the $1 million gift can accomplish so much more in terms of an organization's mission than can the $25 gift.  

     I have no brilliant conclusion to that thought; it's just something I contemplate from time to time.  It's not dissimilar to the unanswerable question of how much any one of us should give to others.  Giving what we "can" is such a nebulous phrase.  Undoubtedly, whatever amount we give, we could certainly have given more.  And yet, somehow we each have to decide how to strike a balance between sharing what we have with others who are less fortunate, and enjoying the things we're able to afford given our circumstances.