Take Me To The Ball Game

Mark

I was going , maybe 5 , when Grandpa decided it was time for my first Red Sox game. I woke up early that day and put on my little red jersey. We boarded the big bus with the cushy seats and tv's ; I was amazed - tv's on a bus ! During the ride Grandpa tells me all the exciting things I would experience at the game. I grew antsy and had to work to stay calm in my seat.

Finally we reached our destination. We had our tickets ripped and entered the turnstiles. Then we took a couple flights of stairs up to our seats. “There it is. “ , Grandpa said. I peered up from under my baseball cap. THE GREEN MONSTER stood before me in all of its glory. I settled into the hard,plastic seat and put my baseball glove on my lap; I've been practicing my catching all week in case a ball came our way.

The smells of sugar and butter filled the air as spectators began to take their seats. “Peanuts ! Get your peanuts here ! Hot dogs ! Ice cream ! Ice cold beer here ! “ Grandpa ordered us hot dogs, peanuts , and a big cold coke to share. I don't remember the game starting. When I woke up we were on the bus. Grandpa smiled at me “ Did you have a good time ? “ best time of my life. “ I nuzzled into his shoulder and fell back to sleep.

And this memory continues to serve as one of the best days of my life.  Even though Grandpa missed his favorite team play , he didn't ever make me realize it. He taught me that some times there is more satisfaction to making someone else happy besides yourself.

Taste of Flight : My First Flight Experience

Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been , and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci

I enter the aviation school and meet the pilot I will be flying with, Mike . " Is it just you? Usually people bring their family or spouse." " Nope, just me." " I didn't think anyone would sign up to fly at 9 am on a Sunday.." "Well, I didn't want to give myself any time to be nervous today."  " You don't need to be nervous. I'm not nervous and it's my first time flying too!" He smiles wide. I laugh.

We head out to the tarmac . As we walk past the planes they begin to decrease in size. We get to the  smallest plane on the lot , just big enough fit the two of us. Mike stops . My eyes widen. " THIS ONE?!" Mike laughs. " That is exactly the reaction I was expecting from you ." I climb up and strap in. We latch the windows , put on our headsets , Mike hits a couple buttons in the cockpit , and we are off. We go down the runway and before I know it we are taking off. After a few minutes my stomach begins to churn as we hit some slight turbulence. "Don't worry this will pass" he tells me.

Soon we are coasting smoothly. I look below. The clear blue water is sparkling. I see the tops of adobe roofs, trees, and tiny cars below. I look at them any controls in front of me and watch as Mike flips things on and off and pulls levers to make small adjustments . He tells me to put my hands on the steering wheel. He explains that turning to the right or left steers the plane but pulling the steering wheel out allows you to make the plane go up or down. A skilled pilot, however, makes the ascend or descend seamless . He asks if I get scared easily and before I could answer he pulls the steering wheel out and down and then up quickly . The sudden turbulence makes my stomach flip. " That is what happens if you didn't do it properly. Man-made turbulence. " I grasp my heart and ,once I catch my breath ,I laugh.  After  a short time of letting me hold the wheel in front of me, Mike tells me he will take back the controls, though I suspect he had them the whole time.

Soon we are flying over swampland. It looks like dark green cotton candy is covering the water below. After a few minutes , we turn around and begin to head back. Mike offers to open the door and allow me to conquer several scary things at once: flying, skydiving , and scuba diving . I tell him maybe next time. He holds up his hand to cut me off as the dispatcher begins giving him landing instructions. We approach the runway and slowly descend. I barely feel the plane touch down. We high five and exit the plane.

When I explained to someone that I would I would be going flying even though I was terrified , his response caught me off-guard. He said , " It sounds like you are braver than you realize . You admit to being scared of things but do them anyway. Courage is defined, not as the absence of fear ,but the ability to act despite the presence of fear. "

My wings have always existed. What has changed is that  now I have learned how to fly.

80/20

 

Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late

-Benjamin Franklin

I sat down with my grandparents to interview them about relationships. My grandmother started, “ For 60 years , you have ups and downs but you get through them because you want to.. I can’t imagine life without Grandpa.” She looked over at him to make sure his hearing aid was registering what she is saying.

I asked what tips they would give to others for a successful marriage. They told me that a sense of humour was critical , along with enjoying each other’s company, and never staying angry.  “ Sometimes you will disagree and that’s okay.. but you also need to take a step back and do an examination of conscience.” My grandfather chimed in “ People never let things go. ..apologize and move on. Don’t harp on it.

I asked if they think today’s couples give up too easily. Before I can even finish the question my grandmother quickly said, “Yes.”

I asked how they raised four children while both working . My grandmother said, “There is no such thing as 50/50. Sometimes all I could give was 20%  and Grandpa had to give 80%. Sometimes we both have 100% to give , but not always. My grandfather added, “There was never ‘ You do the baths and I will do the dishes.’ We just DID IT. These four kids belonged to us and things needed to get done.”

For many years I always thought couples with a focus on 50/50 sharing of responsibilities had the key to successful relationships.  Perhaps when putting so much focus on “roles” we are actually setting ourselves up for failure.

I thanked my grandparents for their time and as I got up to put my coffee cup in the sink I realized I don’t have to reach 85 years old to be wise, I simply need to ask the right questions and listen to the answers of the people right in front of me.

White Picket Fence

White Picket Fence

 

I get a familiar excited feeling when I see the white picket fence. It was the sign as a child that we were literally around the corner from my grandparent’s house. It was the moment of the car ride my brother and I would squeal with delight.  I enter the house and am instantly greeted with hugs and an invitation to “sit down and have a warm drink.”

I always feel the same way in their home, relaxed and at peace. I’m not sure if it is because of my grandparents’ presence, the familiar environment, or the non-cluttered simplicity that helps free my mind from distractions. Maybe it is all of those things.

I’m not sure if it is because I’ve returned after some time away but on this visit  everywhere I look I see memories from my childhood; the basement my cousins and I played in , sidewalks I rode my bike on, the porch where we all put on our Sunday best to take photos on Easter.

I smell a faint scent of ivory soap as I sit with my grandparents having a cup of coffee in their small kitchen. My life has taken me across the country and while I am excited about future adventures, there will also be a need to return to a place that feels like home. In a world constantly evolving, we must not overlook the beauty of things that can remain unchanged.

A Lesson about Choice

I walk in and greet my hospice patient, the 94 years old Mrs M. She is laying under a blanket with a quarter of a sandwich in front of her. She slowly eats the sandwich as we catch up from my last visit. A large palm sways in  the window behind her bed. Mrs M. says she would like to write a book. I ask her what the topic would be and she says "the choices of life" .

I ask her what the most important choice in life is. She says, " Well, it depends on the person. You need to consider your strengths and weaknesses and what makes you happy... as you can tell,  I was a guidance counselor as well." I said, " So , you helped people find the answer that they already had inside?"  She smiles. "Exactly."

Her blue eyes focus on me for a few moments before she says," You are still young. You have miles to travel . And if you find yourself getting tired of one road, you can go down another. Maybe you will find a husband and settle down. Maybe you won't and that's okay too. There are lots of independent women that are very happy. " I smile . She says, " When you are making headway with a student you can see it all over their face. I'm still teaching and enjoying it. Now I'm teaching YOU."

She says that she always wanted to be a doctor. Instead , she ended up teaching chemistry at the college she graduated from. I ask why she didn't become a doctor. She said the Lord had different plans for her. Soon after college she got married and had children. During the war she was offered many positions but had a two year old at home. She smiles as she says, " You just can't buy that kind of work."

She said, " I always loved teaching. I became the study of what I taught about. In order to be a good teacher you must be passionate about it and  I was. " She pauses .  " You must excuse me." She  leans her head back on her pillow as her eyes began to close . She is sleeping. It may have been one short visit but I already learned a lifetime of lessons.

Let's Bounce ! My Kangoo Jumping Experience

I am welcomed into Beachside Ryde studio  by thumping music . I am handed my kangoo boots and am shown how to strap them on . The employee reaches out his hand as I slowly stand . He lets go after I take a couple steps and gain my balance.

Women are wearing bright neon workout tops ,leggings and high socks. Some of the kangoo boots are bedazzled with rhinestones. The instructor ,Tania ,comes to the front of the room as everyone assembles into lines. We begin with a light jog ; kicking up our heels . Our arms soon become part of the equation - circling and reaching in every direction .

 Tania screams "Let's go! " . The music pulses faster and faster and all of a sudden we are  jumping up and down . The slamming into the floor creating a rythmic clapping sound . Tania weaves in the use of hula hoops ,waving them in the air as we bounce . We grab small weighted balls that we toss from one hand to another and pass in circles around our waists . Using a weighted bar , we flex as we squat. Squatting ,I struggle much more to keep my balance then when I am moving. We cool down with a slow r&b song. I sit down to unstrap my boots. I feel invigorated. My body feels warm and my muscles relaxed. I put on my sneakers and walk to my car. I feel like I am walking on air.

Why kangoo jump ? A form of rebound exercise , kangoo jumping is touted as causing less stress on the joints ,reducing injuries ,improving circulation , providing a great core workout , improving posture ,and a greater  calorie burn . Through gravity ,acceleration ,and deceleration you get a challenged workout unlike any other.


Www.post-gazette.com/lifestyle/2012/03/12/fitness-with-a-bounce-jump-into-the-rebound-exercise-boom/stories/201203120147

Everyone's Job

The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy. - Kalu Kalu


I saw an image the other day that has stuck with me. A crossing guard was wiping tears away from a young girl's face with her neon orange glove. The girl was looking up at the woman with big brown eyes and nodding. The tears seemed to be slowing by the time the light changed and I was driving away.

This woman's job was not to console children- it was to get them safely across the street. But she impacted the girl's day and maybe even her life with her words. Every day we have the opportunity to lift someone up. We can make everyone's walk across the street a little easier and it is everyone's job to do so.