It's been quite a fun week to be a Philly sports fan, and I discussed that on this week's podcast. If you haven't listened yet, check it out below:
Near the top of the episode, I mentioned that I interacted with a friend on Facebook recently who was struggling with being a Philly transplant. If there's anyone who could relate to that feeling, it would be me. For those of you who don't know me that well, I moved to Columbus, OH in 2018 after spending the majority of my life in Eastern PA, including 5 years in Philly leading up to moving. I've found a place in my new surroundings, but it hasn't been without struggles...
There have been a lot of good days, and a lot of bad days since then. Even unconditional family love can't fill every void when you say goodbye to something else that you also loved so deeply. I loved Philadelphia, not just for the place it was, but also for how it made me feel, and most importantly, because of the deep, lasting friendships that I was able to foster when I lived there for 5 years. And that was the crux of this social media interaction: despite feeling like you have a good life, there are just some things that are irreplaceable. Understanding and accepting this reality is more difficult for some than others (hint: it's been difficult for me). I have plenty of friends out here who I trust deeply, and if we ever move on from here I will miss them dearly, but in a different way.
I can't quite describe it, but for a long time I was attempting to re-create what I had back east. It took a long time for me to realize that this was literally impossible. As I re-read that sentence to myself, I can't believe how naive that sounds. I feel like I've developed some stronger friendships out here once I finally let go of that thought.
This still wasn't enough, though. I still felt a void. Another thing I greatly missed about Philly was being around my favourite sports teams and talking about them with...well...everyone. So, after much thinking and contemplation, I came up with the idea to do a Philly sports podcast centered around my views as a transplanted fan: traveling to see your team on the road frequently, having to search for out-of-market TV and radio broadcasts, connecting with others who are like-minded, and so on and so forth.
I knew from the start that I was more than capable. I've been a passionate and knowledgeable fan of these teams for most of my life, and I had at least SOME experience in radio, TV, and announcing. I held on to this idea since back in early 2021 - I even recorded a pilot that Summer, but for whatever reason, I continued to shelve the project until July 2022. I don't remember what made me decide to finally carry on with it, and I still don't have an end goal other than to have fun doing something relating to a thing that I've always been passionate about.
So far, it has been a lot of fun, so mission accomplished? I still have so much to learn, and that's also part of what makes this enjoyable. More than anything, it's been therapeutic for me to feel like I'm not just having a conversation with myself - even if no one actually listens to the podcast. Still, I'd hope that someone out there enjoys listening and gets something out of it. I definitely have. In an unexpected twist, I've re-kindled some old friendships and relationships with family sports fans that had been dormant for months or even years.
I'll finish by reminding you all that improving and preserving mental health looks different for everyone, and no two people get through the same situation the in same fashion. I'm hoping that this little story can help inspire you if you've also been struggling. Breaking free of your pain can take any form you wish, as long as it's something that makes you feel good without harming others, and bonus points if it provides value to others.
If you've listened, thank you. Even if you haven't, thanks for being part of the journey. I'm excited to see where it goes.
