Released
Word on the street is TODAY is Major League Baseball’s Opening DAY
YaY
& to honor this splendid occasion, I offer a rerun of words and a lesson well learned.
Enjoy.
I boycotted Major League Baseball from 1994 – 2013.
& at the risk of getting all revved up, I shall try to calmly explain my reasoning.
Long story short, “they” canceled the 1994 World Series.
CANCELED. THE. WORLD. SERIES.
& oooooo, I was mad.
And I mean MAD.
I stewed in that mad for 19 long years.
Growing up and well into adulthood, I LOVED major league baseball.
I loved that game like I loved no other.
The MLB owned my heart since I was 9 years old.
Owned it.
It was everything to me.
& then, a canceled World Series.
I felt like my heart was ripped into bits and pieces.
Oh, the pain of it all.
The real, gut wrenching !! how could they do this !! pain of it all.
So, I shut down. Total and complete.
I slammed that door and promised myself I would never, EVER go back.
HUMPH.
In the beginning, it was hard and I teetered.
Cal Ripkin. September, 1995 almost brought me back.
I admit to watching and getting teary-eyed when he broke Lou Gehrig’s record.
But I soon snapped out of my sentimental-ness, because I preferred to hunker in mad.
grrrrr.
Then along came Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998
& while all of America was singing Yippee ! for them ! all I could mutter was CHEATERS.
Don’t EVEN get me started on the baseball / steroids era.
Reinvigorated anger.
YIKES.
Ryne Sandberg’s Hall of Fame speech in 2005 ?
I wept
& I think the ol’ heart was softening up.
Fast forward to April, 2013.
Dad, Sister and Bro-in-law were headed to a Chicago Cubs game.
Would I like to join them ?
My first impulse was NO !! but Sis and Bro knew I was swaying, they worked that knowledge, they worked it good.
I softly replied, yes.
Like Forrest Gump stopping, after running all those miles, I decided to end my boycott.
No reason.
My aggravation simply evaporated.
We went to that Cubs game and enjoyed every minute
& I cannot tell you how relieved I was and still am that I set my boycott free !
It anchored me down for 19 flippin’ years.
19 YEARS.
When I think of all the fun I missed, I could kick myself from here to tomorrow.
gaaaaa !
Anyways …
Football lives in my heart now, it took over baseball’s spot a long time ago.
But, it sure is nice sipping a cold one on a hot Summer day !
& my reason for telling this tale on such a fine, new morning ?
Because I am released.
RE – LEASED.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
The day I let go of the anger changed me forever
& so, I offer these delightful words of wisdom…
If you happen to have a grudge, a grump, a HUMPH, a stew, a livid, a resent, a peeve, a ticked off … a WHATEVER.
Set it free.
SET. IT. FREE ! ! !
You will be amazed at what happens once you let go of that negative energy.
Happy, Happy and Happy.
Guaranteed.
