Outfielders

    Each baseball season I give my boys the same speech: You cannot win this game through hitting. Homeruns do not win ballgames. Defense wins ballgames. Do not ever stress out about how far you hit it or how hard you hit it. If you hit it, then run hard. Make the outfield get you out. You can swing for the fence all day long, but it's the outfielder that controls how far you move.

      I think this is sage advice too for normal everyday tasks. Yes, we all enjoy a good trip back to our high school. We like seeing our pictures on the wall in the hall outside the gym. We like seeing our names up on plaques. We all remember what great football players look like. Having a big shiny moment is special. It's fun to know that you are still remembered 20 years later as the "hero". But how's life working out?
       Batters swing at everything. Do they know their limitations? Do they know when others are throwing them  curve balls? Are you the kind that sees a pop fly and runs for it. Do you just HAVE to get it? When you see  that  ball barreling toward you at second base, do you cover your face or put your glove up and prepare for the blow? When you sit on the bench are you cheering or pouting...or watching the crowd?
    Life is made in those choices. How are you going to handle that moment when the bat slips out of the batter's hand and is headed straight toward you? Are you prepared for the sudden shocks that life hands you or do you need to be in complete catcher's gear just to handle a typical Thursday? You cannot win at life by riding those glory moments. You cannot keep patting yourself on the back because you won a game once. How often do you grab a competitor and say, "Man, what you just did there was awesome! Good job!" How often do we think that winning means  being a winner? They are two very different things.

    You need to focus on your defense. Your batting arm is very important, but so are your legs. So is your ability to think on your feet. Are you going to call that ball or let the other guy step up? Who you are, how slow you are, how much attention you pay on that field says so much about who you are in life. Learn how to take a hit. Learn how to feel the sun on your face while protecting your eyes. Learn how to listen.  The batters  who hit home runs come off the field all pristine and shiny. You, you my friend, need to walk into the house and have people look at you and say, "Wait, did you have a game today? You are filthy! Get a drink, grab a  bath and relax." The one thing that I have learned from running is that I earn my bath time!
   Don't be the guy with just his name on the wall. Be the guy people still come to because you have life skills, and smell fine.