This week’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver talked about sports. Specifically, he talked about how much society misses sports, but also how difficult it will be for sports to come back safely.
I am definitely in the camp of people who miss sports. I’ve been trying to compensate by playing through a whole baseball season with video games, but it isn’t the same.
And others might be dismissive of sports. After all, it is just games, and that legitimately might seem like a silly concern amidst a pandemic. Yet as I and others have discussed, this pandemic brings with it real mental health concerns. Sports serve as a distraction and can uplift one’s mood and improve one’s mental health. We are a species that needs engagement, and the prevalence of sports throughout history demonstrates this reality.
ESPN and other sporting channels have simulated sports with video games, just as I have, or found other substitutes. The Madrid Open was even replaced by a PlayStation tournament won by Andy Murray. Andy Murray took his prize money and donated it to the British National Health Service. Indeed, this highlights an important role that sports figures have played, which is that they have been raising money for COVID related charities.
Yet the role of entertainment and distraction, which is perhaps needed more than ever now, is still missing. For sports fans like me, this absence should not be dismissed. Engaging in things and watching events that you enjoy, these are an important part of self-care. There are replacements, such as classic games being rebroadcast, video games, a long list of excellent sports-related movies, etc. If there are other distractions you are missing because of COVID, know that there are replacements out there that you can find, and that it is very important that you do find something new.
In the end, you have to find the replacement that works for you if you are missing sports or other distractions because ignoring something that might be a part of your self-care routine is not a good option.
And if nothing else works, here is a picture of my cat Ginny trying to figure out dumbbells. At least she is a cute distraction And as always, thanks for reading.
The Dark Tales Project 