Back from vacation…

I don’t profess to understand why some things happen, but after following the Japanese women as they wove their way through World Cup soccer play, I am renewed that there is a Higher Authority.

The USA was brilliant. Our women deserved to win, especially after that heart-stopping win over Brazil.

But let me join the bandwagon on Japan’s penalty-kick victory. With all that’s happened to that country (the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown), having Japan’s women pull off The Impossible was a breath of fresh air.

My hope is that two things happen with this result…

In a country that struggles (even more than the US) in providing its women equal footing, I see poetry in the women’s soccer team providing such a high-profile rallying point.

The other element is that the United States fans need to respect the effort of the American women. They did everything humanly possible to win that game — a contest that could have been 4-0 at the half. Some are whining the US chocked. Hardly…

Soccer is the cruelist of sports. One can outshoot its opponent 25-1 and lose 1-0. Japan just hung on. Improbably, but nonetheless hung on.

Applaud the efforts of both teams. Pray that their championship brings some sunshine to Japan.

God knew they needed it. He supplied those unseen angels, pushing the American shots just thiiiisssss far off the goal.

Maybe at the London 2012 Olympic Games, those angels will wear red, white and blue wings. God knows we need ‘em next time.

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