thought of the day 'football is my vehicle' or 'football is ourvehicle?'

@AmbeRoseW: @sarahnickless thought of the day 'football is my vehicle' or 'football is our vehicle?'

 A question posed to me on social media this week, to make the connection, this is the title of my blog site. The thoughts coming for it I though were worth sharing. 

Good question this, I've taken some time to think about it.

 A few years ago I made a claim that, 'football isn't a vehicle, most people are already there, they just need help knowing which was to turn.' I don't think I could have been much further from the truth.

Throughout my reasoning for joining the game, 10 years this month since I started playing, it's always queued back to my parents splitting up, as Kieren Laverick tweeted earlier this week, it's a distraction to everyday struggles, which it was.. And still is. I guess that's why I'm so emotionally attached to the game, because of how it's helped, and continues to do so. But now I'm the one providing the distraction for kids who are going through similar stuff I went through.. now at the point where we've fallen in love with the game, or rather fallen in love with the many feelings, opportunities and benefits which comes with it.

I started my blog because i realised I was/ am on a journey, cliche, and a very special one - I know that much at least. I know that not everyone will get to do the things I've done, go to the events I've been to, meet the people I've met, seen things through my eyes.. the blog is a chance to portray my learning and kind of recycle it to support and help others. Yeah I hope it's a nice read, but the whole purpose is to support others, share my learning with others, I don't get the interaction with it which I'd maybe like, the like on Facebook, retweet on twitter publicity of readers yes, but there isn't a challenge to my thinking, someone offering another view. Which I guess would contradict the reason for it's existence.

The blog is a showcase of why football is my vehicle, even though it transports us all. For different reasons, needs, desires and wants. Yes it's our vehicle, at times maybe a video game, with different levels and characters, but that's another train of thought.

 For the purpose of the blog, football is our vehicle, but the content of the blog is mine.

 Even though it transports us all, and in the same direction, the similarities stop there. Speed, motion, method all vary which is the beauty of it.

Your vehicle is different to mine and my journey will be different to you too... along with the way I want to drive my vehicle, how fast I want to go, if I want to stop half way, if I want to stay at one pace or change speeds at different points in my journey. Everything is different, but at the end of it, its my decisions which 'drive' the vehicle and my choices as to which vehicle and journey I want to be on. Reply from Amber. 

To quote a favourite movie of mine [The Polar Express] 'That's the thing about trains, it doesn't matter where it's going. What matters is deciding to get on.' Might not always be on a train, might jump on a steam train, boat, car, tank.. your journey will have allowed to use them all at some point, now you'll know when to hop on a plane when on autopilot doing something you know well, when to be in a tank, either battering something or just moving a little slower.

As another quote I found last year says, and I need to remember, 'don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle.' In the same way, comparing why and how you do something compared to someone else. I've done this too often, and have been told off for it. 

The uniqueness of everyone's journey through the same 'vehicle' is something quite amazing.