The timing to return to writing just never seemed right for me, there has been a lot that has happened over the past two weeks in the world. I felt the only option I had was to stop, sit back and take in all of the information that has been thrown at us recently. It seems the tough times that we were already thrown into has doubled, as tensions grow all across the country. I have recently started reading “The Mental ABC’s of Pitching,” and wanted to go through and highlight important takeaways from each term that is described throughout the book. Within the first pages I came across the word “adversity,” along with a quote from Lucretius, “Look at the man in the midst of doubt and danger…It is then that true utterances are wrung from [his] recesses…The mask is torn off; the reality remains.” A person’s true nature will be shown in times of adversity, and I’ve never felt that more relevant than right now.
We are faced with adversity every single day of our lives, some more than others. Because of the color of my skin I will never understand the adversity someone of color will have to face in their lives on a daily basis. What happened to George Floyd is sickening and showed the ugly truth that racism is still prevalent in our world today. The day he died, me and the rest of the world saw a glimpse of the evil and hate that still resides in our world today. It’s unfortunate that it takes the death of a loved one to bring the world together for change. And it’s important to understand what the movement really stands for and separate that from people trying to take advantage of the situation. If you’re not living it you’re seeing it from another perspective and that perspective may not always be the right narrative. As Pete Alonso said, “Of course everybody’s life matters but we’re focusing on the widespread racism in our country right now.”
Thankfully, I was raised by amazing parents that taught me humility and the value of every human life. Thankfully, I grew up in one of the most diverse places in the world. Thankfully, I played the game of baseball and with that came so many friendships and connections of people of all colors. One of the many things I love about baseball is how diverse of a sport it has become and all the amazing moments these players have brought to this beautiful game. It’s hard to explain if you’ve never played competitive sports. You have kids from all over the country who get recruited, all from different backgrounds. They are brought together and over the course of a period of time have their minds and bodies pushed to the limits. You shed blood, sweat and tears with the people around you. The 5 am lifts, the sprints, the exams. You’re all going through the struggle TOGETHER, and formed this brotherly/sisterly bond that goes beyond color or race. You are one. You are a team focused on one goal and continue to raise each other up. You see amazing friendships formed that will last a lifetime. We all shed blood, sweat and tears, coming together as a team. We all started at the same level and had to prove we were worthy to be apart of that team.
“It’s an amazing concept that you can be against the systematic racism in our country and fight for something to change as well as see the good in people and see what our first responders that have all citizens best interest at heart do for our communities.”
Pete Alonso
You can be against systemic racism and fight for change, as well as see all the good that our first responders do for their cities. We have to ensure that not only the right people are being given positions of power in our country, but they are continuously trained to properly de-escalate situations. There will always be evil and corrupted souls in the world, but more than that are the many bright souls that can outshine them. There needs to be justice and change made for the better of humanity. I will continue to go through “The Mental ABC’s of Pitching,” and talk about all the important parts for each term. Continue to take care of each other and spread good vibes. We will be better, we are better. Stay Tuned.
The Washed Up Athlete 