Doing the Right Thing

Tonight I did the right thing and it was somewhat painful.

OYS was playing in a hockey game against Crosstown Rival. He has only one regular season game remaining after this one and a maximum of three more playoff games. My 9 years of hockeydadhood are coming to an end.

I rarely miss a game and have never missed a game involving either of our sons against Crosstown Rival (or any other important game for that matter) in those 9 years. I missed tonight's game.

MHW and I were invited to sheva brachos of a good friend's daughter. Normally I would have blown off the sheva brachos because of the game (I would have been completely upfront about it too). Except this case was different. I had missed their older daughter's wedding which took place during one of my bike rides in Israel. I missed this wedding because we were in Israel last week.

Summoning up every once of maturity I have, I decided that it simply would not have been right to miss the sheva brachos. MHW, of course, totally concurred.

In any event, the sheva brachos were lovely and the game was intense. I received periodic updates on my Blackberry from one of my friends so I was following the game closely. The game ended in a 2-2 tie (sadly, the referees missed a goal that OYS scored with three minutes remaining that would have won the game. Eye examinations are in order since virtually everyone else in the gym apparently saw the ball go into and out of the net).

The good news is that despite the tie, OYS's team, with a 12-0-1 record, clinched first place in the division and with it a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The teams meet again Tuesday and I intend to be in my regular seat.