via Daily Prompt: Volume

When my dad watches baseball, basketball, or football, he turns off the volume. It drives my mom crazy. My husband finds it odd. My kids make up for the lack of noise.

Dad really enjoys watching sports. Other than John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies, sports (and the weather) are all he watches. People will often ask him why there is no sound on the game. Dad’s usual reply has to do with the absurdity of the commentary announcers, but I know that Dad really just doesn’t need the volume to understand the game.

He loves the game for the strategy and the athleticism. He just wants to see how the players solve defensive problems or convert teamwork into points. He doesn’t want to hear about how the guy on defense bought his girlfriend a dog and it ate his playbook or who the announcers think is a better prospect for a trade. Dad simply wants to watch the game.

I think there is escape in turning off the volume too. When there are no play-by-play commentaries coming at the viewer, it is necessary to really pay attention to what is happening in the game and everything else is turned off. The focus is solely on the field or court and not on the craziness outside the game.

Often I mute games as well. (Especially when the announcers are demonstrating clear bias for one team over the other.) I just don’t need their noise as part of my game experience.

The practice of muting games can be helpful in everyday life as well. There is so much commentary advising us on every move that making decisions and confidence are pushed to the wayside and our focus is redirected to whose advice we should follow.

 Here is the Intentergy challenge for today.  Just like my dad loves the game, love yourself enough to mute the noise.

Turn down the sound of those hounding you with advice. Shut off the notifications reminding you to send emoji greetings to everyone on your friends list. Give your television and fashion magazines a break. Turn down the volume and turn up your positive energy. Silence the chatter that makes you question yourself. Focus on what is most important, your health and happiness. You don’t need a play-by-play analyst to tell you what you are doing right. You’ve got this. Game on. Volume off.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. My dad doesn’t get on the internet, so he won’t read this post. If you ask him about muting the television, be ready to hear about how commentators are “knot heads.” 🙂