We all have something we care too much about

The Buffalo Bills lost the football game two weekends ago. I care far more about getting gum on my shoe than this fact. Getting that gum off will take far more work and cause far more annoyance for me than this team losing the game ever could.

A football team lost a game. Who cares?

Lots of people, especially where I live. There are people so emotionally invested in the sport that there is genuine distress when their team loses. They plan their lives around watching games and wear those shirts displaying the numbers of their favorite players. What are those called again?

On my part, I've responded with many eye rolls and feelings of superiority. I don't like football. I watch portions of the Super Bowl each year for the commercials and the snacks at whatever party I happen to get invited to.

My fiancé admitted after the game that the loss bothered him way more than it should have, but his comment led me to ponder. I've come to the following conclusion:

Everyone has something they care about that other people will find odd.

For many in the U.S., the cultural obsession is with football and other sports. You talk with a football fanatic, and they will have opinions on players, coaches, and every play that happened in the last game. And you can find others who would shrug their shoulders and say, "That's lame."

There are two components when it comes to addressing superficial interests. The first is not to judge others for their interests, and the second is to take a step back and put things in perspective.

Let people enjoy what they want to enjoy

The truth is, I'm no better than my football-obsessed friends. I have different interests, but I invest in them just as much. I think of the movies where I've cried and the deep turmoil I've felt because of the problems of fictional characters. I have an opinion on the Oxford comma and collect volumes of Batman comics. My quirks involve wearing Dr. Who T-shirts rather than a player's number.

This doesn't make me better or worse than football fans. It just makes me different.

We're all different, and many of these differences don't matter in the long run. The teams we root for, the movies we watch, the foods we enjoy, and the songs we listen to help keep life fun, but those differences don't need to divide us.

We all have to deal with a lot sadness and pain. We don't need to go out of our way to make other people feel bad about the innocent things that make them happy. If watching a game helps to bring a much-needed distraction, it's not my job to tell you the game is weird. If making that perfect cup of tea makes you smile, who am I to insist that you should drink coffee instead?

In this sense, I want my attitude to be, "To each his own." Like what you like and don't give two-pence what other people say, to paraphrase C.S. Lewis.

Keeping it all in perspective

It's okay to enjoy different hobbies and have interests that you invest in. Perhaps instead of rolling our eyes at the odd obsessions of others, we could take the time to re-evaluate our priorities.

"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least." ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

It's good to take a step back every once in a while and consider what's truly important in life. What do we believe? What are our priorities?

We form opinions and beliefs about things that don't carry any weight. Then there are the beliefs that mold us and influence how we act. We need to be able to differentiate between the two. My opinion on whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich doesn't actually matter, but what I believe about God and the value of other people will influence how I spend my time and energy.

The truth is, it's easier to focus on the superficial and passionately defend our opinions about our favorite novel or film than to look at our worldviews and the deeper truths that are far more important to defend. Take time to take stock of what you believe, why you believe it, and why it matters.

The more challenging part is then looking at how our actions align with what we say we believe. When I've spent more time focusing on the superficial and what doesn't matter, it indicates a shift in my priorities. When I acknowledge these shifts, I can refocus on what truly matters and act accordingly.

So, enjoy activities, but don't let them become too important. Keep them in perspective as good gifts, worth celebrating but not worshipping. Remind yourself of what truly matters and take action that aligns with the right priorities.

"Use your God given time wisely. Don't waste it in paltry things." ~ Euginia Herlihy

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If you want to read more about what I believe and my priorities, you can check out my piece, The Greatest Story, on Medium.

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