Go to any park in the late afternoon. What do you see?
You see parents watching their kids playing sports. Softball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, football, field hockey, needlepoint, etc. Ok, maybe not needlepoint. Many of these parents sit or stand for hours encouraging their kids to run hard, keep their eye on the ball, and always give it their best. And many of these parents never do these things themselves.
Do you run hard, keep your eye on the ball, and always give it your best? I hope you get that I’m not talking about sports here, I’m talking about life.
We watch our kids, sports heroes, celebrities, or world leaders, and cheer them on from the sidelines because that’s easier than getting in the game ourselves. We live vicariously through them instead of living our own lives to the fullest. Vicarious means experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person. What a waste of imagination.
By all means, cheer these people on (especially your kids). They need it and deserve it. But do that in addition to, not instead of, giving life your best.
Get in the game. Live vicariously through your own life.