Friday, January 23, 2009

Boardwalk and Baseball

This started out as something completely different. I had a very lengthy post to share with you. I decided it best left to my private journal…my actual handwritten, worn leather cover, close to my heart journal. So instead you are left with this; my thoughts after rummaging through the basement:

I found a keychain this afternoon. Dangling on the end of a chain was a green plastic thingy. It was long and square with a hole to look through at one end. It had been several years since I had seen this object. It was a picture-key fob from Boardwalk & Baseball; a local mid-sized amusement and sport park in central Florida. When you walked into the park you had your picture taken whether or not you bought it at the end of the day. Well…the last time my family was there we bought the picture. I held it up to my eye. I could see my grandparents, my mom, the neighbor kid I brought with me, and then there was this other guy. No clue. I had never seen him before in my life. He was taller, leaning into the picture, and looked out of place. I have no doubt that he saw an opportunity…good spirited or not…to be in our picture intentionally.

It made me wonder about other pictures I’ve been in – either candid or a public pose. Do you ever look at a picture of yourself and see a stranger in the background? It makes you wonder how many strangers have pictures of you, how many moments of other people’s lives have we been in. Were we a part of someone's life when their dreams came true, or were we there when their dreams died? Did we keep trying to get in, as if we were somehow destined to be there, or did the shot take us by surprise? Just think, you could be a big part of someone else's life, and not even know it. Just like “Fred” that day with my family at Boardwalk & Baseball.

3 comments:

Sassy Britches said...

This post made me step back a bit from the computer. Holy cow. Forever in another family's memories.

But yet how selfishly exciting to "share" in others' moments!

Anonymous said...

One phrase you wrote gave me pause:

" Did we keep trying to get in, as if we were somehow destined to be there..."

My understanding of destiny is that by definition, destiny is an inevitable fate-a result that is not achieved by any purposeful effort on our own.

By this definition, can one be truly destined for something if they are trying to achieve it?

Yes, many believe they create their own destiny. And, in many ways they do. However, if one subscribes to that view, oddly enough it seems that our destiny is not driven by the "big picture" issues that people associate with destiny, it end up being the sum-total of the circumstances, influences and daily choices that have woven themselves into the fiber of our being. Those "destined for greatness" are not those who "try" to be great-they are great by the opportunities they have been given and earned, and how the circumstances of life have been spun by the reactions they have to those circumstances.

And, if someone is destined to truly be a significant part of another's life, it happens not through overt effort and planning. It happens because the forces of space and time combine with the essence of the people involved to form a combination that was truly meant to be. If one has to "try" to be "destined to be there" - it's simply not destiny.

I believe in an inevitable fate that all are guided towards. However, I believe that inevitability is created from the moment we have the ability to perceive stimulus and choose our reaction to it. This reaction plants the seed of character-and begins to direct the navigation of our soul. We have the power to change the course of our fate - however it is persistance in daily thought, word and action that does so. It is in daily living we choose our fate, because it is in this daily living we build the character, opportunities and foundation of belief that will end up guiding our "destiny".

Nice guys finish last...or something like that said...

whoa. I've had that thought before. I have this great picture with this little red-headed girl in the background and I think "I wonder who the hell she is"...but it does make you wonder-where the hell am I at? ;-)