It appears that Boston Celtics coach, Joe Mazzulla is no Thomas Aquinas, no Soren Kierkegard, no Henry David Thoreau. But I have taken to listening to his sometimes convoluted comments before and after games with real interest. Consider the following remarks.
“We just stick to the process every day of what gives you the chance to win that particular day, he said. “Maximize the day— is it a game day, is it an off day, is it a day where we gotta come in and watch film? Is it a day where we gotta practice? You have to understand what day you’re at and make sure you put your focus on that.”
Duhhh! Upon thinking about it, I realize that I’ve long been a practitioner of the Mazzullaian wisdom, especially in these my later years. First thing I almost always say to my wife, Laurel, in the morning is: what day is today? Sure, that’s a sign of an aging brain. But, upon reflection, and inspired by Mazzulla, I now realize that that’s a pretty good question with which to begin the day.
Is today a day when she and I go shopping? Or go walking for a half-hour in our condo hallways (for me, a day of dread)? Or find a way to be in touch with one of our children? Or a museum day? A Sunday perchance? Is it a day to email a good friend who’s struggling to live responsibly and joyfully in the Twin Cities? Even, unspeakably, is it my own day to die?
Too many questions perhaps. Permit me to simplify. Permit me to draw on a distinction that I first learned from theologian Paul Tillich and which thereafter I realized was taken for granted by the New Testament. As all theology students are aware, there are two Greek words for time, chronos and kairos. The first is clock time. The second is happening time – is it time to take the bread out of the oven?
Over the years, by the Grace of God, I’ve learned to think of my day first thing in the morning not just chronologically, but also kairologically, when I ask what day is today? What’s really happening? What, hopefully, could happen?
I’m grateful that Joe Mazzulla has reminded me that that’s a great practice. I recommend it, recognizing that, like Joe, you’re probably way ahead of me on this one.
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