Yesterday on the way home from Loaves and Fishes, I was listening to the Astros baseball game. They were behind 6-5 in the top of the eighth inning.
The Detroit Tigers made a pitching change which didn’t work out for them. The Astros clawed their way back into the game with a couple of hits and a little misfortune on the Tigers part. While I was listening, my mind wondered and it found its way to a book I read a more than a dozen years ago, Imperfect, an Improbable Life.
The book was about a baseball player, Jim Abbott, who was born with a partially formed right arm who taught himself to play baseball. It’s an inspiring story and I wrote about in this blogpost – Saturday Morning – late April – published April 28, 2012. And I went back to read it. As I have discovered with many older posts, my writing has changed and the links I added, no longer worked. So, I did a little revising to the links.
This morning, I was reading a blogpost from one of my favorite bloggers – Beth from I didn’t have my glasses on…. A trip through life with fingers crossed and eternal optimism. She posts almost everyday, it’s quite impressive. Beth’s posts are inspirational, funny, and thought provoking.
This morning’s post was about book lending and it took me back to the book I had read about Jim Abbott and his journey from Flint, Michigan to Yankee Stadium and beyond.
I lent that book, Imperfect: An Improbable Life, a few times before I lent it a final time. I haven’t seen that book since, or that person for that matter.
It doesn’t matter, I could (and probably should) lend more of my books and never get them back.
Beth’s post sent me on a rabbit chase of sorts where I discovered a video about Jim Abbott that was produced by ESPN last summer. I missed it, I was busy with other things. The trailer below is about how he learned t play baseball one handed.
Jim Abbott overcame an incredible amount of hardship in his life. Much of it through his own hard work and determination. But baseball, like life, is a team sport.
Nine players on the diamond to play a game.
Every player has to be all in for it to work.
Today is going to be a great day, especially when I go down a rabbit hole in time. Like every day, I have a lot to do and today is no different. I am watching the grandies in a little over an hour and as usual I am behind on the things I thought I’d get to this morning.
Rabbit holes.
So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, even when I am diving into rabbit holes.
When was the last time you dove into a rabbit hole?
NOTE: I posted this unedited versions of the sign on Sunday and only noticed the mispelling after a commenter noticed it. I went back Sunday afternoon and the error had been corrected. As always, I was reminded that some times my most effective proofreading comes AFTER I press publish.
Rabbit holes can be so fun now that Im retired and have time. Whenever I’m curious about something I can stop and do a little research which inevitably takes me to something else interesting. Hours disappear.
Dawn thanks for stopping in. I searched for the video and watched it yesterday evening. It was a good watch and I got a little teary when the film finished with clips from athletes and kids who had similar situations and were inspired by what he was able to do. I think our only limitations are our own thoughts. He had help, but he did a lot of heavy lifting on his own. Have a wonderful week!
thanks for your kind words and happy it sent you back to find out more about
jim through that video you discovered. he was an amazing man –
yes he is! I always enjoy your posts and whimsy. the kind words are from the heart. stay well and keep making your days count.
Rabbit holes are good. We need to make more time to follow up thoughts and ideas. But the teacher in you must have longed to take a red pen to that church notice, and urged them to correct the spelling!
Margaret – thanks for the quick reply. I spent time finding the entire movie, it was fun to watch and I got a bit teary-eyed when other athletes and kids who were impacted by his example were interviewed for the film. I suppose I’ve been a sixth grade teacher far too long! My eyes and brain can read writing and spelling and not even notice when it’s incorrect anymore! I went back Sunday afternoon and discovered an edited sign. I updated the website and have both photos side by side, then left a note at the bottom of the post.
Haha! It looks as though eagle eyed people got on to the poor sign-writer quite quickly! It’s so easily done, a mistake like that.