Baseball, I Love You

So, I love baseball. Actually, I think I might be in love with baseball. It's kind of crazy to think about it that way. Anyway, my love goes so much deeper than tight pants and nice faces (but those two things are certainly not deterrents.). This sport is so much a part of my life. A game was on in the hospital room when I was born. Also on that day, Michael Jordan decided basketball just wasn't for him anymore. But baseball was. Like Mike, baseball is the game for me.

In the past, baseball really has been the family that is here for me. My last two semesters of college were rough. I was working a ton while taking a few too many courses. You know what? Baseball was there. When I got to the point in my mandatory major internship where I could not stand doing a second more of social work, I went to baseball games. Those three hours somehow calmed me down. They allowed me to see that although what I was doing seemed like an individual struggle, there was a much bigger system pushing me to succeed.

When I was younger and I didn't like one of my brothers all too much, my dad would take me to baseball games. I needed to get out of the house and calm down. There's nothing like a baseball game to do that. They allowed me to think about what made me happy. I didn't have to deal with the things I didn't like all that much like my brother, cats, cleaning my room. I guess it worked out for my parents too, because when I got back from games I was always a little more compliant when it came to chores or accepting that I was no longer an only child.

I guess baseball is always going to be that constant for me. I know it is something that will make me feel normal and grounded again despite all of the crazy going on around me. Since I'm living on the Florida gulf coast the season starts in February for me (win!), and even that never seems soon enough. The never changing game will always be there and so will the goofy never-gonna-grow-up boys. There aren't a ton of surprises. It's slow. It's long. But it's consistent.

The hot dogs, popcorn, beer man, mascot, bat boy, and crackerjacks are ready for you to fall in love with America's pastime. So what's holding you back?