Not sure if you’ve heard, but there was a little football game this month. It was kind of a big deal. In case you were living under a rock, I’m talking about the National Championship game in New Orleans where LSU crushed (err…played) Clemson.
My husband and I met 11 years ago, and LSU football was a huge part of that time in our lives. We spent just about every home game tailgating, getting to know each other, and falling in love. He had an LSU themed groom’s cake at our wedding. We watched one LSU vs Florida game from the hospital where we had just had our second baby girl. The first thing I bought when I found out our third baby was a boy was a tiny LSU hat.
See where I’m going here?
As a newlywed couple, we went to the National Championship game in 2012, which also happened to be his 30th birthday. That was an amazing and fun weekend, but in case you didn’t know, it did not end well. Alabama is the worst, but I digress. Going to that game was a no brainer. We were both working full time jobs, no kids, and the world was our oyster. We bought those tickets as if they were on the weekly grocery list. I’m not even sure we talked about it before buying them. Not going was never an option.
Fast forward 8 years, and here we are again. National Championship game, LSU is going, and it’s in New Orleans. Except now we have three kids, way more bills and responsibilities, and life just isn’t as simple as it used to be. When ticket prices first came out, my initial thought was no way. No way I was spending that much money to watch a football game that I could just as easily watch from my living room for free. However, my husband was dying to go. I love doing LSU football with him, and while I’m sure he feels the same about me, every fiber of his being loves LSU. I wanted him to go. So, we agreed we would purchase a single ticket. I would go for the weekend with him, but I would sit out for the game.
Finally the time came and we went down to New Orleans a few days early.
The entire time I was so happy he was going to the game, but also a little sad I wasn’t. Then, day of, we decided that we didn’t want to miss it together and bought a pair of tickets. It was a crazy, last minute, over the top decision. As soon as I got the PayPal receipt, I nearly had a panic attack. But my husband took my phone and said nope, let’s go, we are having fun. And that we did. It was the best day we have had in a very long time. We sat through every second of the game, watching history unfold. We both jumped and screamed with excitement when the clock ran out and LSU officially became National Champions. We stayed until well after the last piece of confetti fell, heard all the speeches, enjoyed every last drop of LSU glory.
For that night, we weren’t just two parents with bills and responsibilities and endless to do lists. We were right back in the beginning, carefree, blissfully happy, and thrilled to be there together. Those outrageously priced one game tickets were worth every penny.
My friends, buy that ticket. Not that I am advocating bankrupting your family or creating mountains of debt, but I am saying that sometimes the experience is worth it. The quality time, the moments, the reminders of the good stuff life has to offer is worth it. I’m saying that being ever so perfectly responsible just isn’t always the right thing to do. It was a once in a lifetime game, and now it is a once in a lifetime memory we share. I would buy those tickets again in a heartbeat and sure hope I get the chance.
