The Ring
"In the game of life it's a good idea to have a few early losses, which relieves you of the pressure of trying to maintain an undefeated season." ~Bill Vaughan
Our baseball team won the League Championship last season which meant that this seasons opening series was full of hoopla and regalia. One of the neat ways that they commemorated the event was to give all of the fans in attendance to one game a replica Championship ring. These rings, encased in velvet bags, are humongous. They are adorned with imitation blue and white gems and they sparkle and shine. When my daughter saw the ring she was delighted. When I put the ring on I felt invincible. I felt like a winner.
It didn't take long for reality to set in. That very same night, our team lost a game and it felt like all of the wind was taken from my sails. On our walk to the car, Vic pointed something out to me. Holding up the ring, he said, "There are more than wins in this ring, there are also losses."
We are many games into the season and those words have reverberated in my mind. On the field and in life, the losses are just as important as the wins. There are days when it is easy to be a winner in life, those days that everything goes our way and it feels like the wind is on course for where we want to go. The days that don't go that way are the ones that truly define who we are.
We all have had those days, the ones where everything feels like it is an uphill climb. Those days when a break is nowhere in sight, we have had those days when nothing seems to go the way we planned.
There is another ring that reminds me of the same thing, my wedding band. The jewels seem to represent the times when it all falls together, when Vic and I have had an easy go of things. Those are precious moments that I never want to forget. The days, though, that really speak to the strength of our marriage and the character of who we have become are the days that things weren't easy. The days that we have fought to keep it together, or overcome obstacles ,those are like the precious metal that wraps around my finger, the part of it all that keeps the ring in place.
Life is an amazing mixture of sparkle and strength, a journey of good and bad days of losses and wins. Marriage and baseball are too, you have to take the good days with the bad days.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Our baseball team won the League Championship last season which meant that this seasons opening series was full of hoopla and regalia. One of the neat ways that they commemorated the event was to give all of the fans in attendance to one game a replica Championship ring. These rings, encased in velvet bags, are humongous. They are adorned with imitation blue and white gems and they sparkle and shine. When my daughter saw the ring she was delighted. When I put the ring on I felt invincible. I felt like a winner.
It didn't take long for reality to set in. That very same night, our team lost a game and it felt like all of the wind was taken from my sails. On our walk to the car, Vic pointed something out to me. Holding up the ring, he said, "There are more than wins in this ring, there are also losses."
We are many games into the season and those words have reverberated in my mind. On the field and in life, the losses are just as important as the wins. There are days when it is easy to be a winner in life, those days that everything goes our way and it feels like the wind is on course for where we want to go. The days that don't go that way are the ones that truly define who we are.
We all have had those days, the ones where everything feels like it is an uphill climb. Those days when a break is nowhere in sight, we have had those days when nothing seems to go the way we planned.
There is another ring that reminds me of the same thing, my wedding band. The jewels seem to represent the times when it all falls together, when Vic and I have had an easy go of things. Those are precious moments that I never want to forget. The days, though, that really speak to the strength of our marriage and the character of who we have become are the days that things weren't easy. The days that we have fought to keep it together, or overcome obstacles ,those are like the precious metal that wraps around my finger, the part of it all that keeps the ring in place.
Life is an amazing mixture of sparkle and strength, a journey of good and bad days of losses and wins. Marriage and baseball are too, you have to take the good days with the bad days.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Posted by Pam at 6/16/2009 7:11 AM 
Categories: Taking the Good with the Bad
Tags: losses wins character
Categories: Taking the Good with the Bad
Tags: losses wins character
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