Wally Salinger – Ash Wednesday

Life was put on the mantelpiece for a couple of days, as my week was interrupted by a smoking Chilean.

It did make me review priorities. Astronauts viewing earth from space appreciate its magnificence, yet experience an uneasy feeling of fragility at the same time. Our globe becomes a miniscule speck in the vacuum of space.

Disruptions to a working week appear in a desktop diary as disasters in their own right. The postponement of a crucial board meeting due to aircraft grounding caused by the ash cloud was at first an OMG moment — “What do we do now?” It’s a meeting for God’s sake, get over it.

It is true, nobody died, few were injured, breathing was assured, albeit with a dash of extra sulphur for added flavour.

It was inconvenient, however. Qantas Twitter was overloaded with stressed flyers. My handcrafted display articles for the conference sponsorship stall at my weekly gig in Adelaide ended up scattered. “I think it is in Melbourne, we will contact you shortly.” My back-up materials were in my hand luggage.

From glamour stand to ‘Appears the company is not doing so well’ in a single incident. Disaster? Hardly!

A bird’s eye view from the corporate box at the MCG gives the same overview and changing of perspective. Yes, the game in progress is all-important, the ebb and flow, criss-cross of the path of play, the constant interaction with the umpire, crowd and teams contesting the game and interspersed with pies, beer and chips.

As the game which held such major importance during the opening minutes moves to its outcome the spectator’s perception also changes. It is just a game, a very real, hard-fought game.

Maybe it is time to step back and look at how you fit into the social structures and work environment. The sportsperson gets this opportunity every time they are sidelined, be it for fouling, rest or performance. When you next step back for a perve at the new players on the court, don’t stop looking when you get to their shorts.

View the game, the team and individuals in it in a larger context of how they fit into the world around them and what exceptional talent or specialty they bring to your life and society.

Get moving, join a gay sports club at QSAM: www.queersportsmelbourne.org