disappointment

Disappointment. 

Every morning since Christmas a year ago, my 13 year old daughter wakes up to a life-size Fathead (vinyl wall graphic) of LeBron James, that is, all 6 ft. 8 in. of him!

The only gift Gracie asked for this Christmas was tickets to the Heat v. Nuggets game scheduled for yesterday. One of her best friends, Jamie, has an uncle who could get Grace and Jamie into the locker room after the game. Grace’s dream to see LeBron play in person and then meet him was about to come true!

This last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Gracie and Jamie created one set of clothes to wear to school the day of the big event, and then another outfit to wear to the game. They painted their favorite player’s name and number down the leg of black sweat pants to wear to school; on Grace’s, obviously, James #6, and, on Jamie’s, D Wade #3.

They tie dyed shirts in the colors of the Miami Heat: red and orange on white t-shirts. When the shirts had dried, they used fabric paint to add the player’s name and number to the front. These cool shirts they would wear to the game.

And then LeBron twisted his ankle in a game the night before the Nuggets game. He would not be playing for the first time all season. Gracie held out hope that maybe at least he would be sitting on the bench since we had purchased an expensive ticket behind the Heat’s bench...but LeBron never stepped foot on the court or entered the arena. 

Knowing there are no coincidences, Grace’s sister and brother curiously questioned “why?” 

Grace cried herself to sleep last night. I know that in the big picture this is not a huge deal, yet how do I respond to a 13 year old’s dream denied?