Bowling!

I love to bowl! I like getting a group of friends together and walking into some dingy bowling alley that smells like moldy potatoes, putting on some stranger's shoes, and getting ridiculed by some '90s animated bowling pin. I know those descriptions don't make it seem like I enjoy bowling, but I love every minute of it.

Did I mention I'm lousy at bowling? Yeah, it's not my strong suit. In the rare moments when I knock down all the pins I run around like I just won the lottery. But the rest of the time I'm just trying my best to stay on the lane, not to cross the red line or to see my ball end up in one of the gutters. More often than not there are more than a few pins remaining after I've finished my turn, so I've learned not to expect to be hoisting any bowling trophies over my head anytime soon.

Every now and then, I'll admit, I get a bit discouraged. I see my friends' pins exploding when they hurl the ball down the lanes; most of the time I can't figure out their scores on the screen because there are so many x's and /'s. But in the midst of it all I keep going, keep trying to knock down those pins and keep away from those gutters.

What do my friends have to say about my bowling abilities? They just laugh and continue to encourage me. When I fling gutter ball after gutter ball and start to get upset, they show me how I could better hold the ball, how to line up, and when to let go. With their help I try to remember not to take bowling too seriously, just to try my best but to have a good time. I'm glad I have them to bowl with--they make the game a lot more enjoyable!

And so everytime I start to lace up my shoes and pick out a ball I remind myself to calm down, bowl straight, and to have a good time.

Shouldn't we try and live the same way?

Life is kind of like a game of bowling. The objective is to live life between the gutters, not to fall into sin. We're the ones who bowl through life with the choices we make: where to put the ball, how to make it get to the pins. Sometimes we're more successful than others; at other times we need help and encouragement. And most importantly, we have Commandments and graces and sacraments from God to help us have more x's and /'s instead of zeros.

Anyone who is trying to live a holy life will tell you: it isn't easy. But it's a lot better than not trying at all, than just sitting on the plastic seats and not lacing up your shoes. Sure there are going to be gutter balls; the pins may even need to be reset. But that's where we rely on God's love and the Church--our brothers and sisters in Christ--to help us along the way.

Maybe that's something we can reflect on more often in our lives: seeing God in the midst of something as regular and ordinary as a bowling alley. Trust me, it helps you to laugh and realize that life is meant to be filled with love and joy and happiness, and the best way to do so is by living the way God teaches us and allowing Him to guide us through each of the frames. Believe me, you'll love life if you do!