What Does It Mean?

I appreciate the people who took the time to read my first blog. Received significant feed back that will help me become a better writer and reach out to my audience better. 

The biggest feed back I received was asking, "Are your blogs going to just be about sports?" "If I don't play sports, how do I relate?" "Who is this for?"

"Being a teammate" is a concept that can easily be read as a theme for sports. But the blog series title means SO much more than being a teammate on a team. It's about being a "teammate" for life. 

Let's dive in to the idea of, being a friend. Now that phrasing can be read for everybody, not just athletes, but the concept is still the same. Being a friend is something that is very valuable in our lives. Being a good or a bad friend can strongly define who you are. Are friendships boil down to one concept...EXCHANGE. The reason why you are friends with your friends, is because they give you something. Whether it'd be entertainment, gifts, favors, materials, knowledge, etc. you become friends on that base. So as a friend to someone, think about what you can give, offer, and share. Me personally, I have invited friends to church as friends have invited me to church. Through those invitations, it has changed my life and my friends' lives. In high school and college, as an upperclassman I helped the underclassmen understand the rules and ways of the basketball programs I was apart of. I sometimes share music with friends, I share my thoughts on a movie. I suggest things to read to my friends. I show them videos. I share info I hear in the sports world. I share knowledge that I have learned throughout my life. 

You get the idea, in order to be a good friend, you must offer something good and beneficiary. Selfish people have a hard time finding friends because they look out for themselves. I'm sure you'd all agree that it is better to be around someone who supports you and looks after you. 

Being a brother/sister is also a strongly defining characteristic. I have two younger brothers. One of my brothers was bullied in elementary school, so I would protect him and sometimes it would lead to fights. Was it the right way to handle it? No, I was in elementary school, but as a brother I felt a need to protect him. I think that is a big thing, we need to protect our family and be there for them first. 

My youngest brother Cole, moved from Southern California to New Mexico between freshman to sophomore year. A very though experience and triumph for him. He has lived in 1 hotel room, 2 apartments, and soon moving into a house, in a span of 2 years. Through that time, I was here in New Mexico and I needed to be his friend. I knew that he was going to be alone at first so I told him about how I was alone when I first moved to New Mexico and spent quality time with him. He took on basketball to follow in my foot steps, since then I have taught him everything I know about basketball so he can become a better player than I ever was. 

You obviously will have a different story, but in general, we need to be there for our family because they will be there for us. Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, etc. they don't go away. Their love is forever, so you might as well enjoy loving them. 

Being a boyfriend/girlfriend is another concept that is a part of the "Being a Teammate" theme. I think of making a friend into a girlfriend would only mean that she is someone who I am proud to be associated with, she handles herself maturely, and she is a best friend to where I can see myself being with her for the rest of my life and enjoying it. Making someone a boy/girlfriend based on physical attraction doesn't work for the long run. You are going to find someone physically attractive tomorrow, then the next day you are going to find another person that is more physically attractive. It's how the human mind works, we either think someone else looks good, or we are tired of what we have. A boy/girlfriend should be someone who is your best friend that you happen to be attracted to. If you can embrace someone's personality and he/she is attractive to you, it won't matter what the next boy/girl looks like. Because in the long run, looks and attraction will fade, you'll want someone new. But not if you found your best friend. 

Throughout college I had roommates and they have turned into my best friends. Having a wife/husband is your roommate for life. Can you see yourself being that person's roommate? Can you see yourself sharing everything with them? Can you see yourself enjoying spending quality time with them? Can you see yourself keeping a house clean together? Can you see yourself being adventurous and fun with them? Can you handle conflicts with them? Do you embrace their imperfections? Can you work as TEAMMATES to win at this game called LIFE? If you can, then what God is saying is, "That's her" "That's him". 

Be with someone who is going to be there for you. Be a brother/sister to someone you love forever. Be a friend to someone who supports and cares for you. BE. A. TEAMMATE. 

This concludes my 2nd blog. Thank you for reading and ANY feedback is much appreciated 

Thanks,

Chris

God First God Bless