Watching is also participation

Olympic Hockey game, speed through the television

Hockey is the easiest place to see this.

At first people sit back, just “watching.”

Then somewhere around the second period…
they start leaning forward.

Tracking the puck.
Anticipating the pass.
Flinching at near hits.

Their bodies start moving with the game whether they meant to or not.

There’s this exact moment where the room stops being spectators and starts being inside the rhythm, from their living rooms.

Playing isn’t the only way to participate.

Sometimes participation is just letting your nervous system sync with the speed of the ice.

I count that.