Dear Sport: A Love Letter – How Sport Shaped My Life and Why I’ll Never Let Go

Dear Sport,

Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am today. We’ve known each other for 40 years now, and it’s time to say thank you.

Apart from my parents, siblings, and childhood friends, you’re the one who’s been with me the longest on this wild journey through time and space. You were by my side when I thought I was invincible in my youthful euphoria, and you’re still there now that I’ve long since realized that’s not the case at all.

Some people don’t like you, others say you lack depth (fools!), and for some, you’re just a means to an end or just a pleasant pastime. But to me, you are much more — you are the lifeblood and one of the great loves of my life.

I’ve adored you, despaired over you, needed you, and yes, sometimes cursed you. But, when I respect you and make enough time for you, you reward me with peace of mind, clarity, confidence, happiness, muscle, and stamina. You have often made me the shining winner, but you have also taught me what it means to be a good loser — through bitter defeats, hot tears, and cold frustration.

You dragged me out of my warm bed when everyone else was asleep to jog through the streets at dawn — back when I was determined to run a marathon. You’ve given me countless sore muscles, injuries, and aches and pains, and sent me to hospital three times. And yet, it was all worth it.

You have always been there for me — even when good friends left me, or when I became my own worst enemy. You waited patiently while I tried to replace you with other distractions, only to find myself coming back to you in the end. And when I found my old running shoes somewhere in the flat, dusty but ready for action, I knew it was time to let you back into my life.

I remember when I thought I didn’t need you anymore. While I was out behind and in front of the bar, drinking, smoking, and partying, you watched in silence as my six-pack turned into a one-pack. You gave me the space and time to think. Thank you for that. You even waited for me when I thought “adult life” with work and responsibilities would finally separate us for good. But I quickly found my way back to you. You’re a powerful opponent to the seriousness of life, and I’m grateful for that.

You will be pleased to know that the world’s scientific community is on your side. Tens of thousands of studies confirm that you not only get our bodies in shape, but our minds as well. You help me think more clearly, see the world a little more calmly, and, most importantly, resist the urge to bury my head in the sand at every little setback. After a workout with you, a gray day often takes on a whole new, friendlier, warmer light.

I still remember my first chin-up — well, it was more like half a chin-up. Or those first tentative rounds of running after years of abstinence, on a cold winter Sunday, with a little alcohol still in my blood from the party the night before, but steaming happily in the shower afterward. Even if the body protests, in the end, it’s the mind that says thank you.

As with any long-term relationship, I have come to know many of your faces. My longest relationship was with my beloved tennis. We were a fantastic couple until one day it suddenly got too serious. Somewhere along the line, the lightness, and fun was gone. Years went by without a comeback, but now we see each other again and laugh about the old days and how seriously we took ourselves back then. By the way, I’m currently in love with your young daughter, Padel — the pretty half-sister of tennis and squash. And this time, of course, it will last forever.

Even after all these years, you still evoke so many emotions in me. Even soccer, which I thought had long been lost to money-hungry cynics and corrupt sports officials, has crept back into my heart. Watching the European Championship with my children this year — suddenly that familiar magic was back. And the Olympics in Paris — a feverish time, with the four of us in the thick of it, between the Eiffel Tower and the Stade de France. Those two weeks reminded me once again that you have more power to connect the world than any politician ever could. Couldn’t you show humanity the way? It seems a bit confused these days.

Dear Sport, you have given me more than I can ever repay. You have carried me through the depths of life when everything else was faltering. You have shown me that I am stronger than I ever thought, and that failure is just one step on the bumpy road to infinity. Thanks to you, I have found so many friends who are as crazy as I am. I have collected moments that no one can ever take away from me.

It’s a gift to have you by my side. You are always there, waiting patiently, never judging, never demanding — except maybe to kick the lazy part of me in the butt, lock it in the bathroom, and grab a racket and ball or a surfboard.

No matter how old I get, no matter how many times I ignore you again, I know we will always find each other. It couldn’t be any different. And now? Now it’s time for us to go for a run — together.

See you at the door in five minutes,

Max

If you enjoyed this article and want to read more of my thoughts on health, fitness, and personal growth, feel free to explore my other articles on Medium: https://medium.com/@maximilian.breboeck.