Baseball and Friendship

The quiet of early morning gently envelopes me like the shell of a chrysalis protecting me while I prepare to emerge for another day. Enshrouded in blankets, warm and comfortable, my mind begins to drift again to the happenings of yesterday and the plans of today; another day on my lifeway.

I detest the cold; especially the damp cold of a Midwestern springtime. It is a cold that seems to delve to the core of my being, chilling until I can think of nothing but getting warm. My body and soul aches for the warmth of the Dixie springtime’s of my youth.

Ah, the memories of boyhood in the south… the sound of baseballs being hit and the slap of the glove as they were caught; the smell, and the feel of a well-worn mitt. My mind wanders; I can almost taste the dusty grit as the wind blows across the infield and I long to once again hear those words that would transform my world from one of studies and the tedious boredom of school, into one of challenge and dreams…’PLAY BALL!!’

Baseball was my escape from the harsh realities of city life. The wailing of sirens and sounds of the traffic were replaced by the sights, sounds and excitement of a game I learned to love as a child. On the field, I could be transformed into my favorite players, taking on the glory of their success while forgetting the menial cares of my young life. Baseball was, and is today, a means of escape for me. It consumes my consciousness as each play unfolds and I consider each option and analyze the strategy and tactics being employed. Yes, above all games, I love the game of baseball.

The alarm clock is beginning to sound, just as the recess bell would ring years ago. The sound calls me back from my temporary respite from reality. It is time to once again deal with the reality of life. It is time to forge ahead on the lifeway and find new challenges to overcome, new opportunities to explore and new relationships to establish as I nourish those I already have. These are what make the journey worthwhile, relationships. A relationship with a loving God and the relationships that He allows me to develop with others on this great journey of life. These things make the hard times bearable, and add pleasure to the times of joy.

Relationship requires investment, although not in the sense of investing for return. Love is the currency of relational investment. This currency should be invested with no expectation of return, for love that is given under the condition of an expected profit is not love at all, only selfishness. This is a hard concept for our society to grasp.

In order to do this one must always be evaluating one’s motives. Why would someone invest into another’s life and expect nothing in return? While I cannot answer for others, I can answer for myself.

In the course of my life, I have encountered those who approached relationship in this manner. They invested deeply into my life, and asked nothing in return. I, as many would be, was at first, suspicious of them. The question would burn within me, ‘What is their ulterior motive? When will the bill come due?’ There was none, and it never did. They invested because they cared. Some call it sacrifice, others duty, I call it love. When love, or agape, becomes one’s lifestyle, this behavior becomes the natural outflow.

I deeply cherish the relationships in my life. Each is as its own treasure. The Bible tells us to love God with everything within in us, and that loving our neighbor in the same way is just as important.

We need to discard the selfish, self-serving attitudes of our egocentric society and truly love those whose lifeways we share. We also need to cherish the love we receive; life is so much fuller and richer because of the love of good friends.

Enjoy the Java
Jim