My Fantasy League

Years ago, when I was working on my BA in Religion, a fellow student was into Fantasy Football and nagged me to get involved so we could compete. I got tired of the nagging so I looked into it only to learn that I couldn't set up my league or team the way I wanted. Where's the fantasy in that? It wouldn't let me be my own star player either. Man! That was so not for me and I never made my own league, team, or anything else and my friend eventually shut up about it.

Well, wouldn't you know? I still see people playing Fantasy Football. Not me, though. But, it has gotten me thinking about my Fantasy League. And because it's my fantasy, I'm doing it my way.

My fantasy league is squared up against melanoma's league and melanoma's league is going down. Here's why:

My league is owned by God. All God's competition bites the dust eventually. Only fools think they can win against God. Melanoma is so foolish.

My league has mamas and daddies as General Managers. These mamas and daddies have either buried children because of melanoma, or, have children battling melanoma. They're plenty angry and motivated to bring melanoma down. See how foolish my competition is? Even I know not to mess with mamas' and daddies' children. I also have GMs who are devoted spouses, children, and siblings of people who either died from melanoma or are currently battling it. They are angry and motivated, too, to being part of melanoma's demise.

My league has coaches who have led the way in the battle and know, firsthand, about how rough treatments are, about recovering from surgeries, about all the emotions that come with this disease. These coaches are warriors themselves who have been in tough battles, and also melanoma specialists and researchers. These folks have skirmished with melanoma and melanoma has been weakened because of them. They know what to tell the players on the field and on the sidelines. They know how to call plays. They know melanoma's Achilles' Heel and go after those weaknesses on the field.

My league has only the best players. These women and men are tough spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. They're stronger than they look and are up to seriously kicking some melanoma tochas. They're in this to win it, losing is not an option, and they fully intend to bring melanoma down. Some are engaged in active battle and are fierce on the field. Some, like me, are sitting on the sidelines, cheering those on the field on, and ready to get on that field if our disease advances. We're teammates, in this together, supporting each other with prayers, tears, hugs, visits, calls, anything we can do to encourage each other on.

My league has cheerleaders, who cheer us all on from heaven. They have fought their fight and they have won. They have ringside seats, beside God, and they cheer the warrior and, also, welcome those who rest from battle. They get to see the battle from a new perspective...a perspective we don't get to see from here. They get to see the victory. They get to see a bigger picture and how they fit into it. They get to fully realize how sweet victory is and that melanoma really has already lost.

This is my Fantasy League. But as I look around the real world I find it's not a fantasy after all. This exists. We just don't refer to ourselves as a "league." And we don't operate under a "league" organization. And we don't "play." This isn't a game at all. This is real life. Reality.

While I'm not grateful that this is a battle to be fought, I am grateful the war is won and melanoma's days are numbered. It IS going down. Because of all the people I've already mentioned. It IS going down.

And I AM grateful for that!