{"id":12376,"date":"2022-02-09T08:53:31","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T13:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=12376"},"modified":"2022-02-09T08:53:33","modified_gmt":"2022-02-09T13:53:33","slug":"great-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=12376","title":{"rendered":"great expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s typically the largest audience of any American television broadcast each year\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the second-largest day of American food consumption\u2026 (insert \u2018egad\u2019 here\u2026)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also a day when even the far-more-than-casual fan tunes in\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s Super Bowl LVI. The Rams at the Bengals (\u2026well, really the Bengals <\/em>at <\/em><\/strong>the Rams \u2014 at SoFi Stadium in Souther California).<\/em> Los Angeles vs. Cincinnati. The NFC vs. the AFC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Sunday, we\u2019ll make this story a little more personal, tapping into some of the more in-depth insights that make this game especially special. But there\u2019s one insight that\u2019s been brewing in me for maybe three, four weeks now. One that\u2019s significant. One that applies arguably everywhere elsewhere\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m pondering the relationship between expectation, gratitude and joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do the three fit together?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to football, for a moment\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By all accounts, the Los Angeles Rams expected to be in this game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also by all accounts, the Cincinnati Bengals did not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Said talented Cincinnati quarterback, Joe Burrow, a week ago, \u201cIf you told me that we were going to the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, I would\u2019ve called you crazy.\u201d To be clear, he was by far not the only one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not that the Rams were cocky nor the Bengals were selling themselves short. But no doubt one of the great balances of life is learning how to hope for the best while still holding onto reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crazy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s seems this fascinating phenomena when observing what happens when our expectation bar rests lower than reality. And please know, I\u2019m not suggesting any intentional lowering of the bar. I\u2019m simply acknowledging that there\u2019s something especially sweet that accompanies unexpected success\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe it\u2019s joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe it\u2019s gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe it\u2019s an awareness of blessing\u2026 even ones that aren\u2019t promised nor asked for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever it is, it is beautiful and good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so we ponder our expectations elsewhere\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026 in our work\u2026 our relationships\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026 our politics\u2026 our aspirations\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026 our health\u2026 our faith\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026 and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once again we see that while sports is oft identified as \u201cjust a game,\u201d its implications and opportunity for learning extend way beyond any arena or competitive playing field\u2026 Where have we set our expectations so high that we are missing out on something so beautiful and good?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weekend, no less, will bring much to watch\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expected rise of the talented Rams are the last stop on the unexpected journey of the upstart Bengals\u2026 featuring QB\u2019s Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow \u2014 such likable leaders\u2026 and also the youngest combo of head coaches ever to meet in the Super Bowl\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a joy\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s typically the largest audience of any American television broadcast each year\u2026 It\u2019s the second-largest day of American food consumption\u2026 (insert \u2018egad\u2019 here\u2026) It\u2019s also a day when even the far-more-than-casual fan tunes in\u2026 It\u2019s Super Bowl LVI. The Rams at the Bengals (\u2026well, really the Bengals at the Rams \u2014 at SoFi Stadium in … <\/p>\n

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