Most poignant TV pix of the World Series thus far...............

..............to me was the shot immediately after the 6th game - and before he was interviewed on world TV - was Strasburg cradling his young child in the dugout. Great to see true male emotion, and that picture was only rivaled by the one in the game after his last outing when he was being embraced by the shark and Sanchez. 

The final life lessons by this 93 year oldster from the world series

I know "It ain't over until the last out" but who cares, win or lose, its been a great experience for true baseball fans.  Thus, first, the most important of all the 13 lessons I've pondered regarding this years Nats team:

9.   More important than winning or losing is playing in the game!
10. Baseball, including its sister, softball, is a truly unique game involving people representing a wide variety of individual body types, skills of individual performance as well as sacrificing for the team.
11. Unfortunately when sporting events that could involve the whole family come into conflict with economic concerns, economic reality wins out.
12. Is it not the only sport/event in which one can fail to execute a skill 2/3 of the time and still be considered extremely successful.
13. The importance of leadership in building morale has been totally exemplified by a committed leader (Davy) through apparent integrity, commitment. perseverance and trust.  How vital are these characteristics on the world scene.

I'm sure YOU could add many more but I am done.  I hope there are two more nights of viewing (how I'd love to see a day game again), but life goes on and I'll find other things to Rant about.

Here is a quicky and (for once) brief thought

For the past 20 or so years I've often been asked "How do you keep your apart youthfulness?"  And while acknowledging the the importance of genes, my first tendency is to respond with something like, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING AROUND AROUND YOUNG PEOPLE!  And this is but one of the many that I treasure from my latest blog..

Thanks for sharing. My dear grandmother passed around 95 and I often went to her for advice. Growing up in the depression she had such an incredible account of what it was like during those days. She would often speak about segregation during her time and how incredible it was to see a society shift in their views in such a short time. She still kept her lifestyle of saving food scraps out of fear of food waste and even had two large balls of yarn and aluminum foil to show how they used to have their own recycling back in the day. She was an incredibly sharp and thoughtful woman at her age and it was an honor to have learned the things I did from her.

level 2

dcretiree

1 point·20 hours ago

Thank you! I can identify with every aspect you report about your grandmother. I' almost feel like I know her and that we would concur that the best days can be ahead if we continue that trajectory of working hard TOGETHER for progress. I'm sure she would revel with me in the almost forgotten song, Ah sweet mystery of life.............." And what is the pay off, the last line of the song divulging what the mystery is? It's "Love and love alone that rules the world." Tune in to hear Nelson Eddy and Jeannette McDonald sing it.

Continuing to learn life's lessons at 93 from the World Series

I spent six hours yesterday afternoon at the Washington's National Stadium, but luckily didn't get into the game. Of course I hadn't planned to. Even if given a ticket, I would turn it down. You see, when you are “handicapped” and drive a scooter over torturous terrain with curbs and potholes, one doesn't want to risk turning MY scooter over on me again in the darkness.

But quickly here are three lessons from yesterday. In preparing them, I'll give up the pleasure of going again tonight. And in all candor, yesterday was totally exhausting for theses ancient bones so I hope tonight the results are better and I'll stay up until the end. If these have ANYTHING near the response from the first five, you'll continue to get more as the mood insists.

6. You can't count on “Miracles” happening with regularity

But of course, that is obvious. But is it? We already had several baseball miracles all season long as we overcame a horrible start and ended with a miraculous string of victories. We even now have to get ready for another miracle, THAT WE MIGHT NOT WIN THE SERIES. Such a lesson, but miracles are the subject of religion – or is it spirituality – and already there are those who think I talk about that too much. I'll save that for a continuing blog about spirituality, worship and religion when I finish THE BASEBALL SEASON! As those who really know me, know that those topics consume me on a par with sports.

7. Is it worth risking one's life to play what is “merely” a game.”

Of course this is one lesson I didn't learn before the game, it is what flashed into my mind the moment I saw the expression on Ryan's face as he lie on the ground. It was certainly reinforced by the picture in today's Post. How I wished I had studied philosophy so I could share insight into this and the (I guess its an existential question: Is it worth risking my life to live.) But there I go, religious/existential overtones. But for now simply in all our sports what is the real purpose of involvement.

A more simple lesson might concern looking at the sports world generally. Have we sold out the fun aspect of sports in the name of perfection, excellence, a possible scholarship and trophies rather than play?

And since time is limited before the next game, here was – for me – the overwhelming emotion of the six hours:

8. Amazing how sports can bring the community together

Of course I said that in Lesson 5. And up-front I must admit that concerns with racial disharmony have been a life-long passion of mine and my entire family. However I personally experienced it in a way than I had never previously and certainly from that found in The Washington Post's article today, “At Nationals Park, A divided DC unites.” (And I bow to no one in my admiration for the paper proclamation, “Democracy Dies in Darkness.) Their “unification” concerned those attending the game, affording expensive tickets and concerned with the unification of forces as disparate as political parties and dissonant media viewers.

Briefly here was the audience I wondered if I would see: the historically racially divided city black, white and Latinx.

Arriving at 11:00 A. M. I was almost totally surrounded by Black and Latinx workers preparing the scene. As I approached the ticket booth I felt at home with a group of fellow Michiganders of varied hues hoping to get tickets at face value.

But the next five hours were spent in both causal and deep conversation and in being photographed, quoted and interviewed. And this is the mix I saw and feelings I had that almost overwhelmed me.

The festive, friendship one sees in the media are totally accurate. On a personal level I had warm and friendly relations with EVERYONE While the crowd was hundreds or so white to one, my “close contacts” were about 15 white to 7 minority. I SHALL CONTINUE TO BE IN CONTACT WITH 1 WHITE 6 MINORITY. And shared meal at Zimmerman's Restaurant with three who had previously lived in the area.

What the Nationals/Astros baseball game taught this 93 year oldster

There are so many things. I hardly know where to begin, but here (in some, hurried detail) let me begin with the first:

1. The importance of young and old working together!  The picture on the front page of the sports section of The Washington Post, shows the enthusiasm and vigor of America represented by Soto at 19 years of age. The underlying headline and tribute acknowledges the persistence and perseverance of Zimmerman, approaching 40 years of age!

And immediately I'm compelled to show my age and profession to use this first "teachers lesson" to apply what sports can teach a divided America today.  I'm tired of "Make America Great Again." I'm tired of hearing about the greatest generation. But most of all I'm tired of the divisiveness I see around me. Even the Democratic Party has fallen into divisive structure with young against old*. To me the true Spirit of America is found in cooperation of  young and old together. I'm embarrassed to use that term "Greatest Generation" as my age qualifies me. As I look back, I recall a generation that tolerated lynching, that condemned people for expressing love in ways the "majority disapproved."  I PERSONALLY FEEL I OWE THE FULLNESS OF MY 34  YEARS - and counting - TO THE LESSONS TAUGHT ME BY YOUNG PEOPLE. I truly believe that if we continue to move forward as young idealists point us and recognize our past (yes) sins and failures, we truly can approach greatness.

So that is the major lesson that "rang my bell."   And since I got it off my chest, I'll add a few more thoughts about the game, but hopefully get your responses of what YOU saw and learned

2. How easy it is to second guess a manager. Five months ago David Martinez would've been fired by many. Today he is a genius! How would you have used the relief staff yesterday.

3. Amazing how sports can bring the community together. Or is it simply superficial? How can wwe make it more than that?

4. I had feared that baseball, known to my generation as"America's Game" had lost it's appeal and was no longer that.   I know of few families who get up early on Sunday morning or go out late on school evenings to have their children play America's sport.  They almost all seem attracted to a "bigger round ball."

5. And what about a newspaper that  can have  at my doorstep seven hours after the game beautifully written essays about what occurred so recently. How casually we have discarded the printed page. As a closing reminiscence I recall that my lower middle-class family through the depression years subscribed to both the morning and evening local newspaper.

What a game - GO NATS

ALSO MAY BE SEEN {almost weekly) AT www.ronlehkersrants.blog spot.com

*I'd love to tell you of whom I think might be ELECTABLE meeting that young/old requirement, but feel this medium prevents my doing so.

Another lesson from an immigrant*

*I hesitate to use the word. Given the present president, it almost has a negative connotation in contrast with what our country has stood for in the past.

Sitting next to my Uber driver, Johnny, in the front seat of his Impala, I knew I would learn something about Africa. I of course failed his quiz about the location of Uganda, but I did learn a great deal about him, Green Cards and his view of America.

I was quick to learn that he came to the United States to attend college and continued to renew his Green Card as required every five years. He became a teacher of computer science at a local high school and has raised a family of four children all of whom are also going to college. Continuing our personal conversation, I commiserated by stating that I felt it a shame that it was necessary for him to have a second job. "On the contrary" he stated, "I do it because in my culture I feel a responsibility to make more money to take care of my extended family members. That's the way we do it in our culture."

I also ask about the citizenship process for him in our country and he stated that every five years he had to report for green Card renewal and if one's records were clean, one could apply for citizenship. When I ask why he would choose to have citizenship he stated that "anyone would be a fool not to do so.”

Having picked me up at my Unitarian church, he informed me that he was Christian. Upon returning home, I discovered that 87% of Uganda is Christian.

I was most appreciative of having Johnny reaffirm my belief in the basic tenets of our country, and I can only think of Frank Sinatra's rendition of The House I Live In, and its closing lines

And the people that I meet,

The faces that I see

All races, all religions,

That's America to me.

Something still to say at age 93!

I thought I had said it all when I turned 90, and I answered some thousand or so questions on Reddit's, Ask Me Anything! The Washington Post even called me an "Adorable Reddit Guru" (until they discovered the word “adorable really didn't apply to me! See:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/01/22/meet-the-adorable-90-year-old-who-has-become-a-reddit-guru/

Now at 93 years of age, I've noted three things that lead me to believe my work isn't done, that there is something I want to share with anyone who might be interested.

1. For the past two years I've been a weekly participant with 25 men approaching my age in my apartment complex considering topics ranging from world climate change to pondering the meaning and purpose of life. These DC retirees amaze me with their sensitivity and insight into the complex problems of a rapidly changing world. I'm more convinced than ever that we oldsters need to be in dialogue more with the “idealistic younger generation” that I see in world-wide demonstrations and causes.
2. I've had increased opportunity recently to converse with people with different political, ethnic, racial, religious orientations than I. and therefore I recognize more completely how important it is for each of us to seek more opportunities of this nature.
3. And quite personally, as I again begin to ponder the meaning of MY LIFE, I feel compelled to have my insights heard by anyone who might care to tune in.

Thus, in a few days in an unannounced Rant, I will tell the story of my recent conversation with a Uber driver who grew up in Uganda. I hope you will tune in regularly as I occasionally vent my views. You'll make my day if you will engage in “Comments” so we might dialogue.

Ron

So here's my blog - always available at www.ronlehkersrants.blogspot.com