I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Cub Scouts do a tug of war at our Back to Scouting night the other week. I also loved to see the Boy Scouts and adult leaders “helping.” Although the field looks fairly flat, this side of the rope had a slight downhill, and they always won, no matter how they kept dividing the boys. So a few of the men got in there and were throwing their weight around – literally – first to one side and then the other.

A tug of war is one of those things that you do wholly. Every ounce of your mind, strength, and soul is there pulling on that rope. Most activities don’t necessarily fully engage you. You can pick daisies in the outfield during a ball game or kick the dirt in the dugout while waiting for your turn at bat. You can build a fort and prepare for the enemy’s attack, but still notice that your sister borrowed your scooter without asking. You can read a great book, but still be aware that your mom is on the phone arranging a play date with a good friend.

But when you play tug of war, you are on a mission and the whole world disappears for five minutes. And you can’t lose, as long as you don’t…let…go……