I’ve played baseball for as long as I can remember. Baseball has helped to mold me into the individual I am today. To the best of my ability, I apply the principles taught from the game to my everyday life.
Here are just a few things baseball has taught me:
Teamwork
Though there is an individualized component to baseball, as with most team sports, you are playing for a greater cause. There can be more to teamwork than working on a project with others. It is selflessness, humility, and sacrifice. Putting the well-being of others before your own allows you to demonstrate compassion and integrity.
Silver Linings
Life does not always come in the forms of rainbows and roses. There will be moments of disappointment and hardships. Baseball has taught me not to pretend negative circumstances do not exist. In conjunction with my faith, baseball has taught me to remind myself to ask one particular question when adversity knocks on my door, “How can I make the most of this situation?” There is always a bigger picture.
Coachability
Learning is a lifelong process. A mentor, coach, peer, or supervisor always appreciates a player and/or employee with a desire to improve their game through the input of others. Since I do not have all the answers, nor will I ever, my ambition requires me to be willing to listen to those that came before me and to those that have my best interest at heart. A deep desire to soak in as much knowledge as possible is always of value.
Gratitude
There are those less fortunate than I for a variety of reasons. I have been fortunate enough to play a kid’s game for most of my life. While I have suffered through my fair share of minor injuries, I have had many teammates with great potential forced to end their careers (some at the recreational level) due to severe injuries and setbacks. When I equate that to life as I know it, I begin to appreciate not just opportunities but also the little details I sometimes take for granted.
Currently, I play in a semi-pro men’s amateur league. We play one to two games per week throughout the summer and fall. If not for baseball, I would have had no desire to keep my body in shape after my collegiate days. The game gives me purpose. It motivates me to remain agile, fit, able, and productive. Baseball is all I think about while I’m running or in the weight room. In my mind, I envision myself as a draft pick signing his first contract. I envision myself as the five-tool second baseman visiting Division I institutions with full scholarships waiting to be offered by their coaches. It gives me something to look forward to on weeknights and weekends.
There is no greater thrill than playing under the lights.
Most of the men in this league play to maintain their passion for the game. Others use it as a stepping stone to reach the next level, regardless of their chances. The team for which I play is an avenue for camaraderie and relaxation. Baseball has given my family reason to be proud of me, my friends reason to for me, and myself a platform to be thankful for what my Creator has given me.
This post is part of our #SAfit series for April. With the constant hustle and bustle of our profession, we can’t forget to put ourselves at the top of our to-do list sometimes. It is essential that we remember to take time for self care and this series highlights how our colleagues work #SAfit into their lifestyles. This can look different for each of us and your journey is your own. For more info, please see Mandi Stewart’s intro post. Be sure to check out the other posts in this series too!
