The Four Point Stance

Confession time: I've never played football from a team's perspective. No, I've neither been fitted with the armor of the game, nor charged up and down a field chasing after the ole pig skin. I've played street ball, which I think can be a bit rougher than on a field, but the idea is the same: the guy with the ball is the target until he no longer maintains it.  I'm a sports fan for sure, so one day I was watching a game of football and something visually clicked.  I watched men from opposing sides assume a position along an imaginary line marked by the football.  Their stances near the line were different depending upon their job, but in the next moment they were all called to do the same thing in unison--move. The second that the ball was snapped, men on both sides of the line moved against one another in a harmony reminiscent to Mozart's Piano Concerto number 21.  The line that once held the perfect symmetry of a man-to-man face-off was now in motion, bending and flexing.  Soon, the imaginary line that stood only moments before was gone as players broke through it,  found the quarter back, and smashed him to the ground.

As the next play unfolded, I noticed that the players responsible for breaking through the line held a different posture than those assigned to cover the outfield.  These men were in a posture called the four point stance.  The four point stance is one of strength and speed.  The stance is designed to get leverage over the obstacle in front of it, rough it up, and throw it to the ground.  The four point stance is a fighter's stance.  It's a stance that requires the performer to keep the head lifted and not charge ahead blindly.  Relating to this is easy if you've felt like life has kicked you in sensitive areas, yet you've risen to keep slugging it out against its daily challenges.  Sometimes, there are moments when stuff brings you so far down that you find yourself on your hands and knees, because every inch of success is so difficult to attain.  At that moment of distress, lift your head and change your posture.  Something is about to get hit.

Football is fun for me to watch, yet I can't avoid the lesson in view.  The lesson of football is this:  hit the line--push it--bent it beyond recognition--break it!  Chant it when you feel beat up.  Hit it, push it, bent it, break it! Hit it, push it, bent it, break it!  When you feel like things are unfair and giving up seems like an option.  Hit it, push it, bent it, break it!  Hit it, push it, bent it, break it!  There is nothing that can stop a focused mind.  Hit it, push it, bent it, break it!  Hit it, push it, bent it, break it!

Cheers, and keep on running!