Section 445
The framed correspondence, dated April 23, 1999, hangs on a wall in our living room.
Dear Bears Fan … Good news! Your long wait is over and your patience has been rewarded. We are delighted to offer you the opportunity to purchase Bears season tickets …
& so it began.
Truth be told, though ? I was happy for Husband, as he had been waiting for this moment for a very long while but, I really could care less. Busy with children, school activities, driving this person here and that group there, I had no plans to attend these noon events. Husband and his pals would reap those benefits because I had other things to do
& yep, every so often, I’d tag along for a preseason game, which was always an enjoyable time but, I would continually find myself wondering, ‘eh, what’s the point ??’ I could never quite understand the fuss surrounding football
until …
I remember the day as if it were yesterday, my first “real” (aka, Regular Season) Chicago Bears game and WOW Life as I knew it would never be the same.
Words cannot begin to describe the joy of those Sundays at Soldier Field. They were every kind of everything all wrapped up into a wonderful ball of happiness and YaY !! Tailgating was an art form that I perfected with ease.
!! FUN !!
My fellow revelers would always giggle as I insisted on heading into the stadium early. Way toooooo early !! they’d say but, hey, I liked to cozy up in my favorite seat to watch the players and their pregame maneuvers. The Chicago Bears defense had taken hold of my heart, made it their home and when a guy named Brian Urlacher entered my orbit ??
Yeah
I’d sit there and wish I could view the game as #54 saw it. His knowledge, his strength, his toughness, dodging and blocking and smacking guys silly. Once, just ONCE, I’d love to be in that brain to see exactly what he sees.
Section 445 is where we hunker. Cold days, warm days, windy, wet days, didn’t, doesn’t matter. They are all perfect days & yes, it’s kinda high up there and it does take a few deep breaths to accomplish those steep steps but, those chairs are ours !! and they are where I’ve witnessed the incredible career of Brian Urlacher !!
& on this day, as the man and his mountain of on and off the field statistics is enshrined into the NFL’s Hall of Fame, I am a mess of blubbery emotions.
I feel like I know him, as I’ve watched, year after year, from afar. I’ve seen him grow and become and I seriously cannot feel any prouder !! and I just need to say, THANK YOU, Brian Urlacher for everything you are, for what you represent
& alllll those times I’ve wished once, just ONCE, to witness your game of football as you have so powerfully and uniquely witnessed it ??
I’ve just now realized my perch in Section 445 has been a pretty darn inspiring view too.
🙂
