Chad and I went to game 3 of the ALDS Red Sox v. Cleveland Indians. Turned out to be the final game for Big Papi, David Ortiz. Cleveland won, but all wasn’t lost. Some winning moments: time with Chad, the gift of seats close to home plate, Papi’s arm draped around one of the younger players on the steps of the dugout, then, after being walked in his last at bat(Boo!), waving his arms to get the crowd cheering for the next batter. He went out encouraging and we, like thousands, stayed after the game ended to chant, “Thank you, Papi.”
In this political season when so much said and reported makes one cringe and fear for our future, it felt good to take time-out to just scream and yell about a ballgame. To simply linger to express gratitude, shed tears with a fan, who looked to be around the age of my grandson, Luke, almost 13. Decked out in Big Papi paraphernalia: #34 shirt, hat, jacket, pins, he stood across the aisle, wiping his eyes on the sleeves of his new jacket, lapping up the dregs of more than this season. No more heroic moments when #34 would step to the plate and something magical could happen. Big Papi sensed it,too, as he tipped his cap, tapped his heart, wiped his face, then forced his aching heart and feet to move, just one more time, across the field to home.
For athletes, it happens sooner than for many of us, but the time comes for all, to cease doing what we’re known for, to find out who we are when nobody’s looking or listening and to cheer on the next batter, then, haul our aching heart and feet across the field to Home.
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Amen, sister!!! Thank you for your beautiful closing words. If I could finish out my years the way Papi ended his baseball career, full of love, dedication, integrity and grace, what a witness that would be!!! Thanks for the reminder to think on these things. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see your blog in my emails. Thanks for feeding this next gen’s soul!
It must have been truly bittersweet, but what an experience! I love your posts. Please keep sending them.
Makes me want all the more to know now who I am when no one’s looking or listening so that I can cross that home plate with such lightness, freedom, and confidence. Thank you, Jan, for being such an example to me of the kind of person I want to be and the kind of life I want to live. Xoxo
Amen! You hit a home run. And I’m glad that you keep on doing what you are known for and much more. God bless you, Jan.
Home run is right! Read this to my husband, retired academic writer who can’t quit writing (especially while engulfed in all this political smoke). His response while choking up to your very-well-written piece: “Whew!” “Wow!