Somebody Somewhere

Did you notice that spring training started this week for Major League Baseball? I did, so I tuned in to catch some of the action because I absolutely love baseball. Watching a game though, made me sad because it’s been exactly one year since I played my last MSBL baseball game. I miss the game, I miss the competition, but what I miss most are the close friendships I made over the past 16 years in the MSBL.

I can’t play baseball anymore because it’s too hard on my aging back, so I’ve turned to golf to get my fix for competition. And as far as friendships, the cool thing about golf is that it gives you the opportunity to make a lot of new friends when you get paired up with strangers who love the game just like you do.

So, here’s a question. How do you handle it when you have to compete against friends? The answer might say a lot about your character and here’s an example. Over the weekend my wife and I went to visit a couple who live in San Diego who are really good friends of ours. He loves sports as much as I do, so we played two rounds of golf, several games of darts, and a mini billiards tournament as well. I only won one round of golf and he won every other competition. Funny thing is, at times I found myself rooting for him to make a putt, or hit a bulls eye, or sink the eight-ball. Trust me, I am extremely competitive, but if I compete against a friend, I am rooting for both of us to play our very best.

I know there are a lot of people who might think my attitude is stupid and makes me a loser. But if you think about it, being upset or envious of others can make you a miserable person. But if you choose to rejoice in God’s goodness to others, you can be joyful all the time – because something good is always happening to somebody somewhere!

Angels Spring Training starts at Tempe Diablo Stadium

A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.

~ Tim Cahill