PLAY BALL

[Playing with memories from January 6, 2015]

Last Saturday, January 03, through the efforts of Tibor, my former buddy in sole and spirit, the intoxicating spirit that is, old friends from the olden days gathered at the playing court of our northern village to play ball but in a lighter skirmish.

But there were just the four of us albeit the original plan was all ten players should strictly belong to our fabulous generation only which is 40-up. However, when Titit, Emak, Pakert and Baks didn’t show up, a thirty-something (?) fella called Mamert was compelled to be our instant fifth draft.

And we, therefore, were forced to take the challenge of the much, much younger generation instead, them versus us. Those were fresh legs against wobbly knees, pure muscles and banging bodies, crushing our shoulders, bulge and fats.

And add to the fact that our opponents were sharper and faster. Yet, I must tell you this, brother, an experience is the best teacher. Bullying exists not in our public and private schools only. Most of the time right inside the court, bullies roam around freely.  Remember this again: brute force by itself does not win games, this I guarantee. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, like scare tactics intended for a hapless referee.

Hey, let me be clear on this, man, it doesn’t mean that our team resorted to such sort of tactic when we won that Saturday game. No, it was not due to pure “luck” either as we worked hard for it knowing what was at stake was either honor or shame.

It helps incredibly too that a little application of pride, if not the unrelenting will to survive, makes you win. For it urges you to keep on runnin’ although you’re convinced now there’s no such thing called as 'second wind.'

Therefore, I’d like to reiterate here a fine lesson again that was learned by everyone therein: despite believing fully that most of the time it’s mind over matter, still, we’re going weaker and dyin’.

We can have the most helpful vitamin and energy-booster through our money or wealth, yet, like the rest of human physicians in the world, they can’t stop—they can only delay—death.  But with or without wealth, in whatever state we are, if it is already our Maker’s will and plan, nothing can stop Him even for a second in the implementation of such will for every human.

Everything that happens and will happen in this world is according to the all-knowing God’s grand design. All occurrences in the past, present and future were already written since the foundation of time. He knew beforehand that I would accept Him too as my Lord and Savior in full.  That I’d believe in His salvation that’s available, free, to those who’d believe in Him and all.

He foresaw it I’d believe too in what He said through Isaiah the prophet, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). That there in the City of Gold, I can still play ball, dude. For where I’ll be, I’ll never grow old.  For good.

I pray you can ‘play’ with us too in the grand arena of the Great Beyond.  It is always an individual choice, Oh man… the ball is now in your hands….