Lake Bled, Slovenia

I missed my bus, and the next one didn’t leave for another hour. My phone ran low on battery, so there was not much I could do but take in the beauty of my surroundings. As I sat in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, a small town close to the Italian and Austrian borders, mountains towering over me from all sides, my eyes stumbled upon a small family of three children and their father playing a game of soccer. Interestingly, this family was focused on nothing but enjoying this game. Nothing stole their attention, not electronics, work, or even a random girl watching them from the sidelines. While watching them, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my boyfriend, Jordan.

Jordan lives and breathes soccer; it’s his passion. He has explained his love for the sport on multiple occasions, and every time, he emphasizes the beauty of it bringing people together. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, your background, or the trials you are currently experiencing; soccer unites people across income levels, geographic borders, and even political parties.

Although I have heard him express his love for the sport countless times, I never understood where this passion stemmed from until now. Life is so complex, with so many things fighting for our attention. Numerous obligations attempt to make themselves a priority. However, none of our work, aspirations, money, or security compares to an uninterrupted connection with those we love. As I watched this family play for over an hour, I realized that we are so quick to count down the moments when we are with others to get back to our priorities, neglecting that our priorities are skewed in the wrong direction.

Soccer unites people, which is why it has influenced the lives of so many. Therefore, the international love of this sport validates that we all crave unity, but our misplaced priorities prevent us from achieving it.