Get Stranded in the Game

by Lisa Davis
It’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the ole ball game! It’s true the walk back to the dugout after a strikeout is a lonely stranded walk. It can be a long few seconds. On the flip side, every at bat is an opportunity to give the leather covered ball the ride of a lifetime over the field, the players, and finally, the fence. Every baseball player’s highlight, a dinger. A home run that strands the ball outside the stadium. You might be tempted to feel bad for the ball, the pitcher, or even the other team, but the cheers of the crowd overtake all negativity and place you on an euphoric high that is unrivaled. 

It has been deemed America’s favorite pastime. A patriotic symbol of good times, competition, and athleticism. From the legends of the game to the hot dogs and peanuts of your favorite stadium, it’s baseball. Where the crack of a wooden bat conjures up memories of warm summer nights, family, and mascot shenanigans. What’s not to love? Perhaps the crowded stands and long concession lines. Not to worry, it’s all part of the experience. 

Ironically, sports are the perfect backdrop for life. Opportunities missed and opportunities capitalized in monumental, historic ways. Countless hours spent practicing and living for the moment to shine. Striving for the next level and next chance to prove talent, skill, hard-work, and dedication is part of an athlete’s dna. The adrenaline of a game, a match, or a heat is a lifetime rolled up into hours, minutes, or even seconds. It’s what athletes live for; an opportunity. 

We are all given those same opportunities in life. Opportunities to shine, opportunities to take our blood, sweat, tears, and passion and turn them into life-altering moments. That’s what being stranded is all about. It is about creating moments that change your perspective. Moments that allow you to refocus, reset, and redirect. Whether you feel like the kid that just hit a dinger or the ball left stranded outside the stadium, being stranded is all about your perspective. 
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Games are won and lost. Athletes feel the pressure. Competition builds character, discipline, and resilience. Teams promote teamwork, responsibility, and accountability. Sports are exhilarating and infuriating. Whether you are competing or watching as an avid fan, you feel the excitement and the disappointment. You experience the highs and the lows. Your allegiance unwavering as you carry the torch and occasionally get burned. You love the players when you win and curse the umpires when you lose. It’s the experience. Pick a sport and get stranded. Step up to the plate and swing for the fence!