Sports - Sports Widow

I don't know, maybe it was my Italian upbringing, but whenever a female in our family "outlived the man to whom she was married" there was a gathering of the family, days of wailing and crying, lots of food and red wine, all followed by a long period of mourning with all my aunts dressed in long black dresses, clunkie black shoes and their nylon hose rolled down around their ankles.  That to me was what being a widow meant.

So, forgive me if I can't quite understand connecting the word "widow" to a woman who is left at home when her husband temporarily leaves the nest to participate in a sports event particularly when that act of leaving and the period of his absence seems to be met with glee and a certain level of celebration.  At least that's the way it would appear to be around my house.

I've heard women who suddenly become a "widow" mix their tears with words like "oh honey, please don't go... don't leave me alone".  That's nothing like what I hear when I leave my house for a round of golf or a couple of days at hunting camp.  When I leave, I hear something more like "See Ya!" or "Be sure to leave the checkbook on the kitchen counter".

I think there needs to be some re-thinking of the whole issue of sports widows.  A couple of weeks ago, I was in Dick's Sporting Goods and to my amazement, I saw a pink rifle on display.  My first reaction was "what the h... is that?"  And when I was told that guns with pink stocks were the hottest selling item in the rack, I realized that time had passed me by.  Pink rifles! Dear God, help me!

So, I walked though the store to see what else there might be that would help educate and update me a little.  I found pink golf clubs, pink golf bags, pink golf balls, pink golf shoes and then I walked out into the clothing area of the store which included garments made with pink camo.  Now, there was a time when I went into this store and off to the left of the main entrance there was a substantial area dedicated to the display of clothing for woman and the items would change with the season at hand.  I've come to realize, that the "small" section of the store is the one dedicated to items for men.  It is the woman's wear that has exploded in items, styles, sizes and colors.  

Further wanderings throughout the store demonstrated even more the expansion of not only clothing but equipment as well that is directed toward the female gender.

All of this got me thinking even more about the "sports widow" thing.  I'm now wondering why, if all this stuff and all these fashionable clothes are available for women, why is there such a thing as a sports widow?  Why aren't there more... sports couples?

I began to reflect upon the attitude and expressions displayed by my wife when I left the house to take part in a sports activity.  It certainly wasn't sorrow, but rather more like suppressed glee.  Suppressed at least until my vehicle cleared the end of the driveway.  After that, I'm not sure.

But, as a result of this enlightening experience, I am pledging to myself that I am going to make a renewed effort to include my wife in my sports activities.  She certainly wouldn't expect me to participate in her scrapbooking parties!  You don't go into A.C. Moore and see whole sections of the store set aside for masculine rubber stamps and you certainly don't see blue stuff displayed in the ribbon section unless it has "It's A Boy" printed all over it!

I'm committed!  So, here I come, Honey!  Get ready to play with your new pink gun.  I am not going to leave you home anymore while I have all that fun by myself!  Drop your glue gun you're going with me and we're going forth to be together in sports.

You're going to see the new me!  I can't wait!

See you outdoors!