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Be a Goldfish

“You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? Got a ten-second memory. Be a goldfish, Sam.”- Ted Lasso 

 

If y’all haven’t been watching Ted Lasso, well, you need to. And, if you’ve already watched it, watch it again. Because it is just THAT GOOD!  

 

It has been a long time since I’ve laughed and smiled so much while watching a TV series. To sum up the general plot, Ted Lasso, an American football coach, is hired to coach a soccer team in London, a sport which he knows literally nothing about. Not shying away from the challenge, Ted accepts the position and the rest is television history.  

 

Something about the characters, the dialogue, and the heart-warming narrative fills a void in life and gives us the hope and joy we are all so craving these days. Without giving anything away, this is a story of miracles. It’s the story of love. And it’s a story of the underdog coming out almost on top.  

 

 

One of my favorite scenes is before a big game that this English soccer team with their American Coach Lasso desperately wanted to win. The pre-game stats were not looking good, so Coach Lasso knew he had to give this team some serious inspiration. His pre-game speech went (roughly) like this… 

 

Ted Lasso:  

“So, I’ve been hearing this phrase y’all got over here that I ain’t too crazy about.  

 

It’s the hope that kills you. 

 

I disagree, you know?  

 

I think it’s lack of hope that comes and gets you. 

 

See, I believe in hope. 

 

I believe in belief. 

 

Now, where I’m from, we got a saying too, yeah? 

 

A question, actually. 

 

Do you believe in miracles? 

 

Now, I don’t need y’all to answer that question for me… 

 

But I do want y’all to answer that question for yourselves. 

 

Right now. 

 

Do you believe in miracles? 

 

And if you do…. 

 

Then I want y’all to circle up with me right now.” 

 

 

And…do you know what happened??? 

 

They. Lost.  

 

They lost, and their dreams were shattered. Didn’t see that coming, did ya? Y’all thought I was going to reveal a fairy-tale ending, right? Wrong.  

 

And, do you know why I love this scene so much? Because this is real-life-shit.  

 

Life is not a fairy-tale. Miracles don’t always happen. And hope can only carry us so far.  

 

See, just because we hope for something doesn’t mean it will happen. Having faith doesn’t mean a guaranteed answered prayer. Staying strong doesn’t always mean our efforts will be rewarded.  

 

So then why do we try? Why do we show up? Why do we pray, and why do we hope? 

 

Well, (and this is the coolest part), it’s because we believe.  

 

It goes back to what Ted Lasso so not-so-eloquently asked: Do you believe in miracles?? He wanted his soccer team to ask themselves that critical question, and now I’ll challenge everyone reading these words to ask themselves that same thing.  

 

Do you believe in miracles?? 

 

I’ve asked myself that same question countless times. And, if I’m being honest, many times, I’ve come up with the firm answer of no. No, nope, hell no, I sure don’t. Because once you’ve hoped and prayed and wished and wanted for something so desperately only to find the opposite outcome, you can’t help but start to lose trust. You lose trust in yourself, and you lose trust in life. And, once you begin to not trust life, that’s when the belief is lost.  

 

But then, a few hours or days or weeks go by, and the hurt and the loss start to sting a little less. That’s when I’m able to lift my head and look around, and that’s when I’m reminded of all the beauty life still has to offer. So, maybe my hope didn’t lead me to the thing I thought I wanted. Maybe my prayer wasn’t answered in the way I’d asked. And perhaps my wishing only led to an empty well. But what I’ve found is that by letting go of those perceived wants, we are freed up to see and experience the unrealized joys life already has waiting in the wings.  

 

Yes, Ted’s team lost. And they were sad. And mad. And they were pissed. And they were devastated. But people, that’s why there is a season two- ten whole additional episodes for them to make an epic comeback.  

 

We have all been burned by belief, and we have all sworn off hope numerous times, no doubt. But here’s the thing- we all have a season two. If you are here alive today, then you’ve got a second chance. If you are able to read these words, you’ve got another shot. And if you are willing to give hope and belief one more try, I do promise the result will be even more beautiful and exciting and meant to be than you ever could have imagined.  

 

So, where I come from, I’ve got a saying.  

 

A question, actually.  

 

Do YOU believe in miracles? 

 

And, if you do… 

 

Then come circle up with me, and let’s all agree to be goldfish so we can forget about life’s past hurts. We will recommit to believing in this thing we call life and we will agree to never stop reaching for the hope we all so desperately need to survive.  

 

In love and hope (and goldfish), 

 

Caroline 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 Comments

  1. Lindsey on November 4, 2021 at 11:59 am

    Wow, that was so good!! You are such a good writer, Caroline

  2. Katie Webb Chilivis on November 4, 2021 at 5:28 pm

    Sitting in a restaurant crying reading this!

  3. Nance Haney on November 4, 2021 at 6:13 pm

    Once again. Thank you! Thank you!
    Very inspiring.

  4. Lynn Neely on November 5, 2021 at 1:07 am

    Caroline, This is beautiful and so eloquently stated. You are gifted, my dear! And, this is all so true!..
    Life is not not always what we expected. Just when we thought we could not get up ever again, something pulls at us and helps us know there is life in the other side of disappointment and sadness. No, it’s not easy but, it’s vital. We have to know we CAN get up and move forward.
    I love you so much!💕💕💕

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