Who Knew Fourth Place Could Feel So Good!!

This past weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to play in a Grass Volleyball Tournament. I struggled to find people to play with as many of my Club Teammates had been playing with the same people for years in this annual tournament. However, with a few phone calls and a few new friends, I was able to pull together a team of five girls from various club teams in the area. We entered into the two day tournament and even with never having played together before, we pulled out fourth place in a tournament of around 20 teams!Not only did we take fourth place, but we had a blast together. The tournament itself was set in a pretty happening tourist destination called Belem.Picture a 300-year-old monastery with ornate gothic carvings towering above the trees that frame in our tournament field. As we sweat under the Portuguese sun, muddy and grass-stained from our self-sacrificing dives to the ground, we look up and see a place of worship that has stood strong for even longer than the USA has been a country. Yet the paradox of it all is just on the other side of the field is a row of stores, shops and restaurants, not the least of whom are Starbucks and McDonalds. On the opposite side of the monastery is the River Tejo, the life source of Lisbon, that is constantly bringing in ocean liners, cruise liners, and random ski-does to the doors of commerce keeping the city rolling.I found myself in this transcendent setting this weekend, all the while building and deepening relationships with my fellow volleyball players as well as with new friends I had just met. There was something even more special about it. For the first time in a long time I felt like I was really a part of their world.We sweat together, ate junk food together, guzzled many litters of water together, felt the stain of our muscles together and of course, laughed together.I was experiencing their pain, excitement, frustration, and joy!Of course I will always be the crazy American that they tease and pick on sometimes, but on their turf, in the midst of their history and culture, I labored with them and was able to step into their world. Not only did I have a blast, playing the game I love and slamming the ball down on my opponents/friends, I was able to feel apart of their world. And that is why I’m here, in Portugal. , and by the way… did I mention we won the equivalent of $270 for fourth place? Which split five ways is about $50 each person and enough to fill my gas tank for two weeks! Not to shabby!!! Either way, I had a great weekend, and though I am paying the price today in the soreness of my muscles and the fatigue in my body, I am convinced that it was definitely more than worth it!