By: Jonathan Moore
Someone struck up a baseball conversation with me the other day and asked, “J, what’s the hardest pitch to hit?” I sat there for a moment soaking in this question. I said, “well, from experience the curveball simply, because I didn’t grow up in the knuckleball era, or that pitch would be at the top of my list.” He asked why. I patted him on the shoulder and got up and said, “timing.”
Now there’s a few things in my life I love the most, God, my wife and son, baseball, and being a medical professional. Sometimes those are rearranged according to seasons, of course. Just kidding! As you all know Spring Training has been canceled and as I’m writing this, I’m faced with day 8 of no baseball. To say it’s been rather depressing is an understatement. Baseball has always been an escape for me from the every day life and struggles that come with it. During what little time I have to reflect to the news of baseball suspension. With the recent pandemic and stress added from the local media, I find ways to vent. Y’all guessed it! Baseball is one of them.
The other is calling my grandmother every day after work on my way home to talk about our days. Most of the time is spent talking about her health or about my fam because, baseball has been put on hold. However, two nights ago she said something in response to this pandemic that struck me and inspired me to write this for those who are reading it. I let out my frustrations, aggravations, dropped a few dugout dirty words and without missing a stride, she said, “Baby, I’m telling you, this is God’s way and timing to bring people closer to Him.” Timing. According to Oxford dictionary, timing is defined as, “the choice, judgment, or control of when something should be done.” We said our love you’s and goodnights and hung up. I sat in my truck and watched the rain from my garage for a few minutes. I thought some more on what she said. Timing. I zoned out to several occasions about my time in the box at bat through my years of playing baseball. I would always stutter step when I saw a curveball come in. No matter how hard I tried to correct it, I would be way out in front, ending in a strike out or a pop up.
Next, I moved to pitching. Why? I wanted control. Timing, arm pain, and mixed up priorities caused me to hang up the cleats. Choices. We have two choices in life, what has happened to us can either make us or break us. With the recent suspension of baseball and the timing of other events, it has allowed me to regroup and connect with the man upstairs, love my wife more and more, and witness the growth of my son, “Champ.”
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in keeping up with the unimportant things that we miss out on the slight break in that curveball. Recognizing that slight break in that curveball that God has thrown our way, could all teach us something. If we slow down, time ourselves, and our reaction, we might be able to play small ball instead of trying to hit that game winning homer. Maybe, I’m overthinking it? But, my grandmother has set me straight on more than one occasion, and whooped my ass a time or two. She hasn’t steered me wrong yet. No matter how old she gets or I get, I make that call to the bullpen. Draw your own conclusions, but I think she’s right on this one fellas. God has a funny way of doing things.
-Keep an out for my next blog, “1 for 17.”
“May God grant me extra innings”