Sports transcends all boundaries. If everything in life were as simple as being a sports fan we would all get along so much better with the people in our communities.

When I think about the lines that separate us from each other I can’t help but wonder what life would be like in a world were the only thing that mattered was our passion for our communities.

The other day I saw an older man getting out of his truck. He was wearing his team gear decked out in Denver Broncos blue and orange. As a Colorado native and die hard Broncos fan myself, I was happy to see another brother “united in orange”. We exchanged a few words and went our separate ways. I started thinking to myself, would I have ever talked to that man in any other setting?

The answer is that I wouldn’t have.

Think about an arena full of people full of people all cheering for their team. When time runs out and the buzzer sounds they all either cheer together in victory or (like all Broncos fans this year) console each other in defeat. In any case it does not matter what part of town you live in, what your racial background is, or how much money you make. There is no credit application or background check to cheer in Loud City. Every fan feels the same joy and pain. The only colors that matter in that moment are the ones you’re wearing.

When we leave the arena, sports bar, or tailgate party things are a little different. All the petty things we put in a position of importance in our lives come back into play. These are the things that separate us from each other. We go from being a family of strangers to simply being strangers. No longer do we care about the pain of our brothers and sisters.

Why does it have to be that way?

Wouldn’t it be great if we treated everybody in our life as if it were gameday and they were the fan sitting next to us cheering, screaming, and supporting just as hard as you are. I think I’ll make it my mission to give a high five or a fist bump to people who seem to need one. Perhaps I’ll throw a random tailgate just to get people together in fellowship.

I challenge everyone to join me in treating every person you meet as if they were a fan of your team. Be a fan of people.