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:
- 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.
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