Family always transcends epic matches

Dear grandparents

Imissed the Springboks’ sensational win over the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday. Instead, my missus and I awoke with the birds to trek halfway across Gauteng to watch my granddaughter, Mackenzie, take part in a regional gymnastics competition, with the aim of the participants being to qualify for the national championships later in the year.

Mackenzie, or “Muffin” as I call her, didn’t have the greatest of days. After an impressive haul of medals in a competition a few weeks ago, she finished emp- ty-handed on Saturday. But she scored well enough to qualify for the nationals.

I did follow the rugby from the gym competition, constantly checking the live scoring on my smartphone and updating those around me with what amounted to running commentary. But even after Siya Kolisi and Co’s unexpected victory, I never for one second regretted not staying home to watch the match.

Muffin was quite obviously disappointed in her performances on the day and I caught her berating herself on a few occasions. But, come the prize giving, she enthusiastically applauded her team-mates who managed a podium

Guy Hawthorne

place, jumping up to give them congratulatory hugs at their achievements.

It really warmed my heart to realise that she is a well-balanced, caring individual who is genuinely happy about the achievements of others. Unfortunately, people like that are as scarce as Highveld thunderstorms these days and the knowledge that I know one and am related to her is something that fills me with immense pride.

The missus and I caught the highlights of the Bok-All Blacks match when we got home later in the day. Again, I was so proud of the way the guys played, and particularly that defensive effort near the end when the New Zealanders pounded away at their line in search of what would have been a match-winning try.

But my pride in the way Muffin conducted herself, on a day when most of her family was there to cheer her on, way surpassed that I felt for the Boks.

Author Grantland Rice wrote that it’s not about whether you won or lost, but how you played the game.

Although Muffin’s day didn’t end in defeat in that she managed to perform well enough to earn a place at the nationals, it was disappointing for her. So to see her sharing in the joy of her teammates who won medals really warmed my heart.

I know there will be more days when there are big sports events I would like to watch on TV. And I know some of those sports events will clash with something involving Muffin or one of my other grandchildren.

And I know, without doubt, that I will be there to lend my support to those kids. Every. Single. Time.