Watching Baseball in the Cold

The last two nights, my grandson Clark had baseball games – one at 6:00 and the other at 8:00. For Texas, it has been a little chilly here the last few nights. (In Texas, we define chilly as you can’t comfortably wear shorts.)

Last night, I took Clark and his dad to the game early because his team always has a practice before the game. Just as we arrived at the ballpark, a T-ball game of 3 and 4 year olds was just beginning and I sat and watched. I had forgotten, at that age level, there are more parents on the field than kids. The batters hit the ball fairly well off the T and can mostly run the bases (a few sometimes try to run the wrong way) but the fielders mainly just stand there with their gloves on or off and watch.

After just two innings, thankfully that game was over. Clark’s team of 7 and 8 year olds (coach pitch) then took the field. It was a world of difference. The kids could hit, run the bases, make good throws, and (most of the time) figure out which base to throw the ball to for the best result. It was a lot more fun to watch.

But then I remembered: those games of 3 and 4 year olds were a lot more fun to watch when Clark was on one of the teams. They weren’t any better than the teams I watched last night. I was just more interested because my grandson was on the team.

Isn’t that the way life is? A play or musical we watch, a game we attend, or a class function we view are much more fun and exciting if we have a vested interest in the project. Another grandfather told me yesterday morning that he had attended a musical at his grandchild’s school and was brought to tears by the performance. Now I really doubt that the performance was really that outstanding. But it was to him! He had a deep interest in the event.

We’ll all enjoy life a lot more if we find ways to get interested in the events that come our way. It might make the difference in a great life and a boring life.

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