Summer is a great way to teach kids lessons on character through sports.
My two older kids learned a lesson that only life can teach – a lesson on fairness, justice and that the world is not all that.
I enrolled David, 14 and Gabrielle, 12, last summer in Badminton. At the end of that summer program, they were to compete with other students at SM Megamall for the championship tournament.
David and Gabe were not really what you call “sporty” when it comes to physique and skills but what they lack in skills, they compensated in wisdom. I saw them try very hard to study the sport and master the moves that will keep the opponent on their toes.
That month, Gabrielle’s heart and mind was not on the tournament but on her missions trip to China and her Boot Camp which took her time away from her precious tournament practices.
David, on the other hand, literally kept his “eye on the ball”. He practiced very hard with his coach and classmates and will not let up for just a bit.
Gabe came back from China just two days away from the tournament and was not able to do anything but show up.
Tournament day came and both kids went to compete with kids their age and level. Bernard and I were there to cheer, support and encourage but I was not prepared to handle nor answer what was about to unfold that afternoon.
To cut the long story short, David, my son who gave his whole summer to prepare and practice for the tournament lost and was eliminated late in the game. Gabrielle, on the other hand, made it to the championship game in SM Megamall, not because she won over her opponents but she made it to the finals by default. She was in fact, awarded a bronze medal because there were only three people who competed in her category.
What do you tell your kids when life is not fair? What do you tell the one who worked hard and did not make it? What do you say to the one who did not practice yet bagged the medal?
I remember how the kids learned a valuable lesson that summer – That winning isn’t everything. It’s not about the prize but the process you went through to get the prize. That character and perseverance formed in you IS THE PRIZE.
Gabe learned that having a medal without hard work does not bring fulfillment at all.She knew she got “lucky” but she did not learn anything from being “lucky”. David learned that it’s the process that’s important and character is everything.
Life is not fair but it does not mean we give up. The Lord looks at the heart and what happens inside of that.
Life is not fair but it does not mean we give up. 
