I ♥ Hoops?

Well, I wouldn’t go quite that far…yet. But I will admit to watching my first basketball game since high school. It was the Duke •vs• UNC game Saturday night, a bitter rivalry here in North Carolina but that wasn’t the reason I found myself tuning in.

It had everything to do with a city boy.

And I wasn’t even watching with him.  But knowing that he was an avid Duke fan and that he cared about the outcome of the game made me want to watch.  And not just watch, but hold my breath as they ran back and forth on the court hoping to see those dark blue jerseys pull ahead.

Alas, it wasn’t to be, and I felt the pang of disappointment because I knew a certain someone wouldn’t be smiling in triumph. As I shared my condolences, reminding him that I too had recently felt the agony of defeat that kept my beloved Patriots from the big game, I realized that this was one of the ‘perks’ of dating.  We’re introduced to new things, new experiences and new interests. We’re challenged to do things we might never do otherwise.

I wonder how many things we as individuals learn to do or come to love because of a romantic interest in someone?

I can only speak for myself, but I know that I’ve overcome fears, learned to love things I didn’t understand (like football!) and opened myself up to experiences I’ll never forget.

Does that mean I’m going to end up anticipating March Madness with the same fervor I await the start of the football season? A month ago I would have laughed at the thought. Although I’d sat through my share of Bonny Eagle basketball games as a teenager in the pep band, and certainly understand the basics of the game, it just never seemed to be a sport that induced passion the way that football and hockey could.

But now? Well, I watched a college hoops game all by myself simply because I knew he would be. I have no doubt I’ll be keeping track of the games during March Madness.  I guess I shouldn’t rule out learning to ♥ hoops.