Day number 200.
I don’t think I’ve followed through with any New Year’s Resolution quite as determinedly or passionately as I’ve pursued this one.
For those resolutions I did make, I know I never made it to day 200 with any of them.
Thornton Wilder wrote, “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?”
Two hundred days of playing catch and I’m experiencing the wonder and adventure of everyday life, accruing sweet tan lines, sore muscles, and so many stories in the living of it. Two hundred days of playing catch and I’m already starting to dream about next year because I don’t really want to stop. Two hundred days of playing catch and experiencing the truth that baseball really does bring people together.
At Glenwood Park, in the midst of noisy construction and overcast skies with a toddler mesmerized by our skills, Russ and I tossed the ball and talked.
Russ is a Cardinals fan who grew up playing baseball, then football, then rugby in college. I have utmost respect for rugby players; I love watching it on TV and have zero desire to ever try it personally. I don’t think there’s any way my ankle or knee would survive a rugby game. Now working for Valic, Russ thoroughly enjoys helping people save money, giving teachers and professors best advice for preparing for the future.
Russ also has a son who will be a senior in high school and that’s where we connected, talking about college plans for our kids and reminiscing about our own collegiate experiences and high school senior years.
I graduated high school 25 years ago — huge shout out to Kickapoo High School! — and had no real idea what I wanted to do other than play golf. I never would have imagined working in a church as I had a very real fear of speaking in front of people and I wouldn’t learn how to play guitar for another five years. I never would have thought of myself as a writer and storyteller; I wrote only because it was required in my classes.
As Russ and I talked about our kids, I remembered what it was like to be in their shoes, feeling the constant weight and dread of the decisions about the future and all the unknowns. I think playing catch symbolizes and echoes the words of Wilder as best advice for my daughter and Russ’s son.
Live in this moment.
Be fully present to those who are sharing life with you.
And have fun! There are amazing adventures everywhere — keep your eyes and your heart open.
Day number 200 completed.
What a ride!
