By Patrick Ransom
THE boys. It’s the name affectionately given to each young man’s group of closest male companions.
I am blessed to have a diverse mix of friends from various walks of life – friends from school, university, work, ministry and some of my other hobbies.
These young men are my peers, my friends, my mates, but simultaneously they are people to learn from, to share knowledge with and ultimately to grow with.
This year a theme for the promotions of Vocation Brisbane has been Begin the Conversation.
The inspiration for this theme came from reflecting on the importance of taking initiative in my relationships by encouraging meaningful discussion.
This year I decided I ought to do something to turn this inspiration into something tangible.
After getting married last year, beginning a new job and moving houses, I realised I needed to reconsider how I balanced the important things in my life.
What I write about today is particularly how I balanced my friendships.
I found myself thinking, “How effective are my friendships? What can I do to better utilise my time and to grow with my peers?”
The answer was basketball.
Saturday morning, a ball, two hoops, a few guys – it really was that simple.
My co-worker Adam and I fortunately live on the same side of town and decided one Friday afternoon that we would shoot some hoops the next morning.
After a few meetings, we were regularly getting up to ten of our mates along to play some pick-up.
It was great – 8am, warming up, shooting hoops then getting a game started.
I was quickly reminded that being tall isn’t a perfect substitute for skill (thanks Adam for that lesson). We’ve played anywhere between one and three hours – the latter ending in my rolled ankle due to fatigue.
Games ranged from brutally competitive to downright lazy, often beginning the morning with the former and progressing to the latter.
When we were all too tired or the sun too hot or the rain too heavy, we went and grabbed a drink from a nearby café.
This was the other half of the morning’s proceedings.
Drinks at the café are an opportunity to share about our life, work, relationships, faith – whatever was on someone’s mind.
It has been during these times where I’ve realised that a simple gathering for the purpose of a sport had provided a medium for bonding on a much more profound level.
What started as a simple idea for some ‘bro-time’ and physical activity has grown into one of my most enjoyed spiritually-refreshing events of the week.
This has been my ‘conversation starter’ – my way of attempting to live out the tagline I’ve used for advertising here at Vocation Brisbane.
This has been a way through which I can live out the ‘vocation message’ in my own life: by facilitating an atmosphere where my friends are not only able to socialise and exercise but also discuss, discern and grow with one another.
I intend to continue pursuing meaningful friendship through similar means, however it need not necessarily be through basketball or any sport for that matter.
To strengthen such relationships requires only a willingness to start talking.
Don’t be afraid to begin the conversation.
Patrick Ransom is a vocation officer for Vocation Brisbane.
