Saturday, March 13, 2010

Some Thoughts on Blood

I have always had a certain fascination with blood. Not in the emo-cutting-morbid sense, but more in a biological sense. What an amazing substance, it regulates our temperature, transports oxygen and nutrients and toxins, and fights off disease and bacteria. It fills us and animates us.

Also there is a certain primal aspect to it. I remember, as a child, looking at the pictures of Native Americans with red facepaint or clothing, and wonder if blood was the dye. I thought that was so badass, so natural. In a world of kill or be killed, of hunting, blood is not something to be feared or thought of as disgusting, rather it is merely a part of life. It symbolized life.

And it really never bothered me when I was bleeding. Which was good, because I bled every single football game. Gravel and rubber turf would reopen knee wounds, my hands and arms would get cut on the metal in the pads. At some point in every game, blood would go streaming down my legs or arms, and I would be reminded of the Indian warriors with their red body paint, merely giving back to the earth what they received, through their blood.

That blood was my warpaint and the scars I received were my war-wounds. I truly thought of myself as a warrior, dedicating everything towards the cause, towards defeating our foes. I was so focused, I let nothing interfere with the war, or preparation for it. School and football owned my life. The thought of a girlfriend was entertained but never pursued, video games were confined to once a week, I never met with my friends outside of school and sports and birthdays. Work was deemed too time-consuming.

This is what seemed to be demanded of me, by my coach, my parents, my teachers, and even my friends. They too lived in that world and thought the way I thought (for the most part). The least I could do was sacrifice a little blood, give a little of myself, back to the field, back to the school, in hopes that one day it will all be worth it.

1 comment:

  1. I love this post. It will be all worth it. Blood, sweat, and tears they are the measurement of a man.

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