Of Life and Baseball

Those of you who know me best . . . or even at all . . . know that I'm not really a sports kind of girl. I mean, sure, I played field hockey and ran track in school. I even played basketball for our church's youth group. But I can count the times on my three fingers that I've followed any team at all (that would be the Jazz, twice, and the Yankees, once). Sports and me . . . we're like that proverbial oil and water.

So, it may surprise you that I went to a baseball game (for the first time in my life) and . . . . drum roll, please . . . . had an ABSOLUTE BLAST!

May 29, 2009, will forever be the day that I started my love affair with baseball. Okay, okay. Probably not a total hot and heavy love affair yet. Give me a few more months and I promise you'll be able to start feeling the heat.

My friend and I went to the Texas Rangers game. She's in love with them (she is a Texan, after all) and pretty much all things baseball. (I'm sure she'll correct me if I got that part wrong.) My love for her made me agree to go to a game with her. Okay, she didn't really have to twist my arm that hard . . . or even at all. I think the conversation went something like this:

Friend: Have you ever been to a baseball game?

Me: Ummm . . .

Friend: Okay, if you have to think about it, then you haven't.

Me: I think I was inside a ball park once.

Friend: Then you've GOT to go to a Rangers game with me.

Me: Okay. Let's get the tickets.

Now, if you find nothing odd in that conversation, let me provide for you a hypothetical conversation between me and, oh, let's say, Joseph (a Mariners fan).

Joseph: So, I was thinking we should go to a baseball game. The Mariners are playing.

Me: Has hell frozen over yet?

So, with this little bit of trivia about me, you might be surprised to learn that I not only went to a baseball game, but I went to a double header. TWO . . . WHOLE . . . GAMES . . . Yep, and I swear, the time flew by as quickly as a fast ball over home plate.

And it's not just because I was with my cute friend. It was the ball park itself. And the fans. And the energy. And the burger and soda I paid an arm and a leg for. (The fact that we had pretty good seats and that they were in the shade helped too.) And the little-bitty things that go with being at a game, rather than watching it on TV. Sigh. I'm smiling just remembering the fun I had. (I know, this part is a little light on the details, but I did see that game over 2 weeks ago.)

So, vive la baseball! Vive la Rangers! I look forward to many, many more games.