No matter how many years you play, it's always something new and

Curtis Joseph, the great guardian of the net, once proclaimed: “No matter how many years you play, it’s always something new and exciting. It’s sports, you never know what may happen.” In these words he reveals not only the truth of the game, but the truth of life itself—that the unknown is the essence of all struggle, and that wonder is renewed in every contest. For in sports, as in existence, no two moments are ever the same, and the mystery of what lies ahead is both a burden and a gift.

The heart of this saying is the eternal unpredictability of competition. An athlete may train with all discipline, may study every tactic, may rehearse every motion, but when the whistle blows and the game begins, the outcome lies hidden in the folds of chance, courage, and fate. It is this uncertainty that gives rise to awe. For if the ending were known before the beginning, where would be the fire? It is precisely because “you never know what may happen” that each contest draws forth the full attention of the heart.

History itself confirms this truth. Think of the Miracle on Ice in 1980, when a team of young American amateurs defeated the seemingly invincible Soviets in Olympic hockey. For years, the Soviets had dominated the sport, their triumphs appearing inevitable. Yet in one fateful game, the unexpected happened, and the world was reminded that certainty is an illusion. The power of sport is that it allows the impossible to step into the light, teaching all who watch that life too is filled with miracles unseen until they arrive.

The ancients also understood this mystery. At the games of Olympia, crowds gathered not merely to watch athletes display strength and skill, but to see destiny unfold before their eyes. The fastest runner might stumble, the strongest wrestler might fall, and the humble might rise in glory. The Greeks saw in this uncertainty the hand of the gods, reminding mortals that no man controls all outcomes. To watch sport was to watch fate itself in motion.

Joseph’s words also speak to the freshness of spirit that comes from embracing the unknown. Even after “many years,” when routine might dull joy, the unpredictability of sports keeps the soul alive. It is a school of wonder, training the heart to remain open, to never assume that yesterday’s story will be repeated today. This is why the aged athlete still plays, why the seasoned fan still cheers—because each moment promises something unseen, and thus each moment is alive with possibility.

The lesson is clear: do not fear uncertainty, but welcome it as the very essence of growth. Whether on the ice, in the marketplace, or in the journey of your own life, understand that you will never fully know what tomorrow holds. Yet this is not cause for despair—it is cause for excitement. The unexpected may bring hardship, but it may also bring triumph, renewal, and joy. To live is to enter into the same mystery that animates every contest: the uncertainty that makes victory meaningful.

So I say to you: let Curtis Joseph’s words be carved into your heart. Do not cling to certainty, nor wish for life to unfold without surprise. Embrace the truth that, like sports, life is a game of endless new beginnings, each moment charged with possibility. Stand ready, with courage and with joy, for you do not know what may happen. And that, more than anything, is what makes the journey worth living.