10.15.15 -- My former chiropractor shook her head when I told her I’d played rugby recently. We crossed paths at an Isagenix event, and she said, “I don’t know why anyone would want to play that game.

The thrill's not gone

It's so damaging to the spine.” I suppose so. But I still enjoy it. And despite the sometimes bone-rattling collisions, rugby helps to keep me fit. There’s also a thrill about putting it all on the line, a primal energy that sharpens the senses and lifts the spirit. And surviving a game relatively unscathed makes you feel invincible for a few brief, shining moments.
    “How’s that guy who broke his neck?” the chiropractor asked. It happened during a local tournament several years back, a freak injury that left a relatively young father paralyzed. It’s frightening to think that could happen to me, but the possibility makes finishing a match with all of my motor functions intact even more rewarding.

Daring...or just plain dumb?

As you can see, I’ve actually been practicing risky behavior since I was a toddler, climbing a jungle gym to the top, diving off a cliff into Lake Powell, tightrope walking along a railing high above a concrete water sluice… It’s in my DNA, just like brown eyes and male pattern baldness. 
    “Why do you do it?” the chiropractor wondered. If you have to ask that question, you probably wouldn't understand the answer. Playing full-contact rugby at age 61 may not be the brightest thing in the world. But the fact that I’m still able to do it says I must be doing something right.