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World Series Game - October 25, 2019

Should I wash my socks now?

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This morning, an interesting question popped up on my wife’s Facebook feed.

“Now that the Nationals 8-game winning streak has ended, should I wash my Curly W socks that I’ve worn throughout the streak?”

Baseball fever has swept Washington, even if the Nationals will not sweep the Astros in the World Series after last night’s 4-1 loss in Game 3. Superstition is a big part of the game, so the question was a serious one.

My answer? Yes! Once a streak is ended, you need to shift to new gear so that the momentum can swing back your way. Luckily, I have enough Nats caps, t-shirts, hoodies, and jackets (at least two of each and more in some instances) to make the change easily.

Entering Nats Park for the World Series
Entering Nationals Park for Game 3 of the 2019 World Series

For all things streak related, I first turn to the best baseball movie ever, Bull Durham. There’s a famous scene about “respecting the streak” where Kevin Costner’s Crash Davis makes the point to Susan Sarandon’s Annie Savoy that players have to respect a streak…and should not change whatever they think is causing their run of good fortune. (Note: the scene is as much about sex as it is about baseball, so the link is for mature audiences only.)

One of our home-team announcers for the Nationals, former player F.P. Santangelo, likes to admonish the viewers to stay in the “same seats” when hits are flying off the Nationals’ bats, or to encourage everyone to move to a different seat when the team needs to break out of a slump.

And baseball being baseball, of course there are multiple online sites with a take on this question, such as “The 50 Strangest Superstitions and Rituals in Baseball.”

View from my World Series seat
View from my seat at Game 3 of the 2019 World Series

I’ll confess that I went to last night’s Game 3 at Nationals Park with some bit of trepidation. My on-site record for playoff games for the Nationals was 1-2, and the two losses were horrific. (Game 5 of 2012 NLDS and the famous 18-inning game of the 2014 NLDS, for those who care.) But I’ve never been to a World Series game in person, and so I threw caution to the win and forked over the money to get a seat.

My biggest tactical mistake was not wearing the same pants I wore for the Nats’ wins in Games 1 and 2. I feared they were a little thin for the October evening temperature, and frankly they looked a little worse for the wear after I wore them stretched out on the couch for two games.

So I’ll take the blame for the Game 3 loss. It’s on me.

But I had a blast, all the same.

As I’ve said, I have no expectations for this series (or the two that went before) but I just want to enjoy the ride. Last night was no exception. The crowd was terrific. As opposed to some other playoff crowds I’ve been around in Washington, which were heavy on those who wanted to party, the folks in our section were knowledgeable, enthusiastic, but also respectful of the Astros as a talented group of players. It was an exciting game all the way through the last pitch in the bottom of the 9th.

My take on the loss was that the Nationals players were as amped up as the fans, and had trouble controlling their emotions. Any time you leave 10 men on in scoring position without getting them home, you’re not relaxed in a moment of great tension (which is the only way to play the game.) I hope that getting over that first “World Series game at home” hump, and the reality of the loss, will bring them back to the “terrific players having fun” persona that has led them this far.

So, for those who are superstitious, I’ll be home and back in my “winning” seat on the couch (or the “winning” seat at the Silver Branch Brewing Company bar) for the rest of the series.

Go Nats!

More to come…

DJB

Image: Nationals Park before the start of the first MLB World Series Game in Washington since 1933. To set the record straight, yesterday’s Washington Post noted correctly that Washington’s last World Series team was the 1948 Homestead Grays of the Negro League, “who defeated the Birmingham Black Barons, four games to one, to cap perhaps the most dominant stretch of baseball in American history.”

Saturday Soundtrack: Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas

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Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas
Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas at the Institute of Musical Traditions Gathering

Last Monday evening, Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas brought their extraordinary musical partnership to Washington for a large and appreciative crowd at the Institute of Musical Traditions.

This is the 20th year Fraser and Haas have played together, and the anniversary gave the duo the excuse to return to their back catalog. And it is a masterful body of work, beginning with the album where I first heard them—their inaugural CD Fire & Grace, a project that turned heads worldwide with its exquisite musicianship and clear sense of joy.

Steeped in different backgrounds— Alasdair from the roots world of Scottish fiddle and Natalie from the classical halls of Julliard—these amazing musicians responded to each other and to each intricate twist and turn of the music for a delightful two hours. It was art as a life-giving force. And they clearly had fun, recognizing the unique nature of the evening’s setting when they played the “appropriate for Washington” reel Little Donald in the Pigpen. Haas’s percussive use of the cello underpinned the magnificent tones that Fraser coaxed from his fiddle. No matter the tune, their music soared as they traded lead and rhythm roles, then came together in unison so as to take your breath away.

It was an exceptional evening of music making.

Fraser and Haas
Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas (photo credit: Fran Bernardino)

Included among the many fiddle tunes they played on Monday was the medley of two traditional pieces, Neil Gow’s Wife and The Old Reel. There were contemporary tunes in the set as well, such as Megan and Jared’s Waltz followed by Mike Vass’ Cavers of Kirkcudbright. Give them all a listen from their Strings Sessions video.

Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas are touring this fall in support of their new album and in celebration of their two decades of a wonderful musical partnership. Check them out, and enjoy.

More to come…

DJB

Connecting the dots

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Tunnel vision is defined as the tendency to focus exclusively on a single or limited goal or point of view.

And that’s not always bad. There are certainly instances where a laser-like focus is required to get the job done. But more times than not, getting locked in on a single goal without considering the context, other points of view, or the broader consequences brings trouble.

In leading teams both large and small, I often say that one of my key roles is “connecting the dots.” I’m trying to ensure that team members consider the context. It is critical for leaders to ensure that someone is thinking about broader consequences and the big picture.

I saw an unfortunate example of tunnel vision play out over the past two weeks. The leaders and their teams did not connect the dots that were right in front of them.

This real life lesson began when my wife and I walked the short distance from our house to a nearby intersection on a beautiful Monday morning. There we joined with other neighbors, bicycling and pedestrian activists, members of the media, and county officials for the official opening of the new dedicated bike lane in our hometown of Silver Spring.

This has been a major project, with night-time road reconstruction, the addition of new bus stops, construction of floating traffic islands, and the installation of special bicycle traffic lights. The county had worked hard to keep the residents along Second Avenue informed of the progress. Over the course of approximately eight weeks signs were everywhere and, once the work began, the evidence of the change was all around us.

Having seen and used the dedicated bike and pedestrian lanes in Copenhagen several years ago, we were strong supporters of this effort.

Silver Spring Bike Path ribbon cutting
Ribbon cutting on October 7th for the new Silver Spring bike path

In the course of watching the construction, I met the project manager. In our conversation, I shared our family’s excitement for the changes and our appreciation for the strong communications coming from the county and from the contractor. I also mentioned—almost as an aside—my concern with the way that area utility companies were active in nearby neighborhoods, tearing up the streets to replace underground lines and then undertaking shoddy road repairs to cover up their work. I could not see what consideration the utilities gave for other neighborhood projects and efforts at design improvement.

According to the project manager for the bike lane extension, the utility companies are supposed to wait at least two years before tearing up a newly paved street, with an exception made for emergencies. But he also mentioned that utility companies have a mind of their own.

The “wait two years” comment stuck in my mind.

And it came rushing back when, only TWO DAYS after the official county dedication of the just-completed bike path, I walked up to see a utility crew in our neighborhood.

Digging a hole in the fresh pavement of Second Avenue.

Smack in the middle of the new bike path.

They were doing this work because there was a major construction project also in progress—the Elizabeth Square aquatic and recreational center—with extensive work near Second Avenue. Everyone working on the Elizabeth Square project had to cross Second Avenue when the bike lane was under construction just to reach their building site. The contractors and project managers for the Elizabeth Square project worked side-by-side with the ongoing bike-lane extension on Second Avenue. They saw the work underway in August and September.

Destruction of the Bike Path
Utility crews dig up the new and freshly paved Silver Spring Bike Path, just TWO DAYS after the official dedication

And yet, the only charitable conclusion is that they were too focused on their project and didn’t think about the context.

For they never thought to call the county Department of Transportation and say, “Hey, we’re going to need to do some utility work on Second Avenue. Let’s finish that before you put a fresh coat of pavement down and construct a new bike lane.”

And somehow in the county’s permitting services office, no one saw two projects requiring permits on Second Avenue and put two-and-two together.

As a result, residents, pedestrians, and bicyclists in Silver Spring got to enjoy two whole days of a freshly paved Second Avenue bike lane and street before it was torn apart.

It appears that tunnel vision strikes again.

Our Councilmember and the bike lane project manager are responsive and working at the appropriate levels of county government to attempt to fix the process and ensure that the remediation in this instance exceeds the utility company’s normal shoddy (my term) patching jobs. I’m staying on the case.

Silver Spring Bike Counter
The electronic bike counter along our new bike path in downtown Silver Spring

If you want to be a leader, look around. Figure out what else is going on. Get the bigger picture. Understand the context. Find a way to involve others, even if they aren’t part of your team or office or organization.

In other words, connect the dots.

Have a good week.

More to come…

DJB

UPDATE:  After reading my blog, the Silver Spring Urban District Specialist asked me for a meeting, which took place on the morning of October 28th. I learned a number of things about the process the county has in place to guard against this type of tunnel vision…and how that process wasn’t used effectively on Second Avenue. But I also learned that there are good public servants who listen to constituents and work hard to set things right. The Urban District Specialist is working towards a restoration of the road in short order, alerted me to some other challenges with upcoming construction in our neighborhood, had answers to my questions, and was very responsive. She is a “connect the dots” type of person.

Swingology

The busking starts at the busk stop

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On a picture perfect fall day, I feature Swingology in today’s Saturday Soundtrack as they were cutting loose with some fine gypsy and traditional jazz this morning at the corner Busk Stop at the Silver Spring Farmers Market. The band is a great new addition to our lineup of regular buskers, and we’ll look forward to seeing them back at the market in about a month.

In the meantime, you can find some of their music online. And always remember lesson #30 from my 60 lessons from 60 years: tip the busker.

More to come…

DJB

Image: Swingology taking their turn at the busk stop at the Silver Spring farmer’s market.

Bumpy roads often lead to beautiful places

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Nats Win Game 3 NLCS 10 14 19

Nats are going to the World Series! (Photo of Game 3 NLCS win by Tom Cassidy)

When much-maligned Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez was asked how he felt after his ballclub just completed an improbable four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series (NLCS), he went back to something his mother told him: “Often bumpy roads lead to beautiful places.”

Then, in light of earning the franchise’s first trip to the World Series, he added, “And this is a beautiful place.”

Oh, is it ever!

NLCS Most Valuable Player Howie Kendrick—one of 18 resident “Los Viejos” (the Old Men) on the Nats playoff roster over the age of 30—said, “I can truly say this is the best time of my career, the best moment of my career this year.”

I can add that in my 55 years of being enthralled by baseball—beginning as a nine-year-old with a 1964 trip to Wrigley Field on a family vacation to see the Cubs play Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals; to following Willie Mays and the San Francisco Giants from afar, as a kid growing up in Middle Tennessee; to the Atlanta Braves teams of the 1970s, and 1980s, and 1990s; to the Nationals arrival in DC in 2005; to my bucket list quest to visit all 30 MLB ballparks; to the Division-winning teams of 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017—nothing compares to the joy of watching this year’s Nationals.

What a way to spend a gap year!

I may not have any expectations for this team, but, as I said following this club’s improbable Wild Card game win and again after they crushed the mighty Dodgers in five games of the NLDS with Howie’s 10th inning grand slam, I sure am having fun.

Last evening was no exception.

As a one television family, we had a “discussion” in our household about whether we were going to watch the Democratic Presidential Debate or Game 4 of the NLCS. I volunteered to go on the road, so I headed across the street to our terrific and lively local brewery, the Silver Branch Brewing Company. There I settled in at the bar with a group of other red-clad Nats fans, ordered up an October brew, and watched the game while chatting with new friends and bartenders. The seven-run first inning had us all in a state of euphoria, but I recalled to my bar mate that we had a 6-0 lead in 2012’s elimination game against these same Cardinals. Nothing was assured. When the Cardinals clawed back to 7-4, it was time to order a second beer.

And yet, the Nats hung in there and fought through all the challenges thrown at them.

One of the great lines in the many column inches in today’s Washington Post about the Nationals win came from that long-time baseball scribe Thomas Boswell, who wrote about that May day when, “The team landed a Baby Shark named Gerardo Parra on a one-ounce test line — picked up free, with the San Francisco Giants still paying his salary.”

When Parra came in late in Game 4 and got a hit, somehow I knew that the Nats would win. Parra brought joy back to Washington baseball after too many seasons of pinning our hopes on the talented but moody and aloof Bryce Harper. Heck, Parra even got that old head case Stephen Strasburg to dance and laugh in delight when enveloped in a group hug he couldn’t have escaped even if he wanted to.

As columnist Christopher Powers noted, “Of the four teams left in the MLB Playoffs, there was really only one that could be characterized as ‘likeable,’ that team being the Washington Nationals.” Powers looks at the other teams that were in the two league championship series and finds them all lacking in likeability.

“The New York Yankees? Evil Empire. The St. Louis Cardinals? Most insufferable fanbase ever. The Houston Astros? Cocky players and even cockier fans, which is funny considering they just discovered the franchise existed in 2017.”

Every one of those characterizations is spot on. And speaking of insufferable, who died and left Yadier Molina as the king of baseball’s unwritten rules? He’s a terrific, Hall of Fame-bound catcher, but give me a break with all the grousing about how to play the game. Let the young kids and “Los Viejos” have some fun! Break out the Parra rose-colored glasses!

“As for the Nats,” Powers continues, “now that Bryce Harper is in Philly, there’s really nothing hate-able about them.”

Not only is there nothing hate-able, there’s a lot there to just sit back and enjoy. And now we get to do it for at least four more games in 2019.

So we’ve celebrated, danced, and now we wait for six long days before the start of the World Series, against either the formidable Houston Astros or New York Yankees. A World Series where I’ll have no expectations…except for the expectation to have a great deal of fun.

Go Nats! No, wait. Go, National League Champion Nats!

Let’s continue to play ball!

More to come…

DJB

Installment #13 of The Gap Year Chronicles

Something More Significant

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In her 2018 study Leadership in Turbulent Times, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin tackles a subject that could not be more relevant. Drawing on the life and lessons of four U.S. presidents, Goodwin holds up the achievements, foibles, and resilience of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson. She examines how each came to be known for leadership as they dealt with civil war, the inequalities of the Industrial Age, the twin crises of global economic depression and war, and, finally, the struggle for civil rights.

Leadership, in other words, in times of crisis and transformation. Something like the times we are in at the moment.

I’m in the midst of reading Goodwin’s study. However, her examination in the opening chapter of the young Abraham Lincoln, and one quality she calls out from that period, came to mind this week after hearing the hate speech of the current resident of the White House directed at Somali Americans in Minnesota.

In contrast to the powerful having a sense that they can bully and hurt the vulnerable for their own political profit, Goodwin notes that the young Lincoln “possessed a profound sense of empathy (emphasis added).” He was able to put himself in the place of others. In doing so, he could “imagine their situations and identify their feelings.”

Lincoln Douglas Debate

Lincoln Douglas Debates commemorative stamp from 1958 (Credit: U.S. Government, Post Office Department – U.S. Post Office Hi-res scan of postage stamp by Gwillhickers., Public Domain)

We are currently grappling with what happens to our nation when all sense of empathy leaves those at the height of power, if it was ever present in the first place. We are seeing what happens when humor is used not to uplift spirits, but to degrade our fellow human travelers.

Goodwin tells us that the young Lincoln’s humor could run amok, “his light mockery turning vindictive, even cruel.” She gives an example when Lincoln—in response to a rival’s light-hearted political jousting at his expense—resorted to mimicry and “scathing ridicule.” Lincoln, apparently, was a master at this type of humor and his rival, sitting in the audience, broke down in tears. In the vernacular of today, Lincoln’s performance “went viral.”

But what he does next is just one example from many of why he became a great leader. Lincoln realized he had overstepped. He went and found his rival and gave a heartfelt apology. The memory of the event stayed with him for years and led Lincoln to “rein in his impulse to throw a hurtful counterpunch.”

We live in a day and age when an hour-long presidential “address” is nothing but a grievance-filled counterpunch, intended to hurt, tear-down, and destroy political rivals.

Why was Lincoln able to rein in his impulses? “He was after,” Goodwin asserts, “something more significant than the gratification of an artfully delivered humiliation (emphasis added).”

In real leaders, the proper aspirations and vision can lead to a place where empathy and humor are used to build up rather than divide and destroy.

Have a good week.

More to come…

DJB

Let’s Dance!

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Nationals LogoI suspect I wasn’t the only person having a private dance party in my television room at precisely 12:23 a.m. this morning. Or once again at precisely 12:41 a.m.

No, indeed! The Washington Nationals faithful—after enduring crushing defeats in the 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017 National League Division Series (NLDS)—were ready to celebrate in that crazy 2019 Nationals way: the dugout home run dance party.

Why? First, because Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto hit back-to-back solo home runs off Dodger legend (and playoff goat) Clayton Kershaw in the 8th to tie the 5th and final NLDS, win-or-go-home, game. Then Howie (THAT man can HIT) Kendrick blasts a grand slam home run in the 10th inning at 12:23 a.m. East Coast time. And finally, Michael A. Taylor made a diving catch in center field in the bottom of the inning at 12:41 a.m. to close out the game and bring the Nationals their first Division Series win in five attempts.

And we all danced!

Thank God the Nats don’t play in the NFL (also known as the No Fun League).  They would be penalized for exuberant celebrations.

There is a lot to be said for disregarding goals and barriers that others set for you in order to allow yourself to simply focus on enjoying the ride. That’s one thing this group has clearly done since the darkest days of May, when they stood at 19-31 on the 23rd of the month and everyone (myself included) was ready to write off the season.

That’s about the time Gerardo Parra arrived, a former Gold Glove winner picked up cheap off the MLB scrap heap, to which he replied, “That’s baseball.” He looked around at his new surroundings and said, “Why’s everyone so tight.” Parra got them to loosen up, and since his arrival the Nats have had fun. They’ve turned Nationals Park into the capital of Baby Shark. They focused on “Go 1-0 today.” They bring a cast of characters, none more important than “Tony Two Bags.” They began wearing orange and pink-colored Gerardo Parra sunglasses. They tied with the Dodgers for the best record in baseball from May 23rd until the end of the season. And, oh yeah, they dance in the dugout after home runs.

I may not have any expectations for this team, but, as I said following this club’s improbable Wild Card game win, I sure am having fun.

I could write about so much here: Stephen Strasburg’s gritty effort that kept the Nats in the hunt after he settled down from a rocky start. Patrick Corbin’s gutty relief appearance after a meltdown earlier in the series. The bullpen as a whole, which kept the Dodgers at bay after they scored three runs in the first two innings. The absolutely horrible managerial decisions made by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. (Yes, he could win the Matt Williams Award for boneheaded calls under pressure.)

But I won’t.

There are great accounts in the Washington Post by columnists Thomas Boswell and Barry Svrluga. Scott Allen has a wonderful piece on the reactions at the late-night watch party at Nationals Park, from the Washington Capitols (tuning in from Nashville where they are in town to play the Predators tonight), and around the country. Go read the professionals.

Nats October gear

Ready for October baseball! Go Nats!!

And on my morning walk through Silver Spring today, my new Nats jacket—one that’s especially warm for October baseball in the District—brought approving comments and “Go Nats” calls from fellow travelers.

Go Nats, Indeed! On to St. Louis!

More to come…

DJB

Grace yoga

All that’s left to learn

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Gap years provide opportunities to try something new or — if your time off comes later in life — to return and revisit neglected passions. In the last six months I’ve taken a writing course. I’ve incorporated my long-time love of guitar playing into my daily routine. A course on wine or bourbon tasting, to gain fresh insights into a couple of my more pleasurable pursuits, may be in my future. Perhaps I’ll use the new bike path that runs in front of our house as the impetus to rekindle my passion for cycling.

And while I’d given yoga a chance in the past, there were always other, seemingly more important, calls on my attention. But I now find myself here, in my gap year, returning to the yoga studio.

There’s a very logical reason for making this move: my muscles and joints were crying out for more flexibility. Several months ago I tripped while stepping off the train in London and fell to the concrete platform, landing directly on my right knee. For a number of weeks the pain in that kneecap, along with sympathy discomfort in my hips and other related body parts, had me feeling as if I had suddenly jumped on a fast track to old age*. It was easy to project forward a few years, see the probable upshot if things didn’t change, and know that it wasn’t pretty. While I have a collection of historic walking sticks I inherited from my dad, I’m not interested in using them anytime soon.

That led me to give yoga another try and, thankfully, the knees and hips are responding well. My morning walk no longer brings twinges of pain as I ramble through downtown. I find myself moving better than I was before my encounter with the train platform.

But physical flexibility hasn’t been the only outcome of this practice. Something strange began to happen while stretching body parts into new positions and discovering previously unknown bones, joints, and muscles. As I focus on listening to my teachers, I’m beginning to see that the lack of suppleness in my body had perhaps become too well matched with similar traits in my way of thinking.

This will come as a shock to those who know me well, but I realize that when making decisions or choosing a path forward, there are times when I can be inflexible. (I’ll wait for the laughter to die down.)

In working through issues with physical flexibility, I came to see that rigidity in mind and spirit can also be a challenge. Think of the decline in communication that’s all around us, where we attack others rather than seek to understand different perspectives. We’ve all seen examples of people who, as they move through life, fear what’s next and want to hang on to what they have and what they wish to be true. As the writer Ursula K. Le Guin notes in No Time to Spare, these are the ones who have “given up on the long-range view.”

Fortunately, there are also those who, in her words, live in a country that has a future. Who realize the incredible amount we learn “between our birthday and our last day.” If we are flexible enough in mind and spirit to recognize “how rich we are in knowledge, and in all that lies around us yet to learn,” we can maintain the seeking, trusting capacity for learning that we had as a two-year-old.

I went into a recent yoga session with this on my mind. When the question was raised of our intention for that day’s practice, a thankfulness for having the time, the teachers, the family members, and the friends to focus me on the need for flexibility — in all its manifestations — rose to the top. I am grateful for those who have encouraged me to pursue that link between mind, body, and spirit. Although I am (at this point) about the least capable and least flexible yoga student in my classes, it doesn’t matter. The very practical impetus on getting my body aligned has, surprisingly, led me to think more deeply about the need for flexibility in other parts of my life.

The gap year results are not always as planned, but thanks to an unexpected search for flexibility, I’ve been rewarded nonetheless. Who knew? (That’s a rhetorical question.)

Have a good week.

More to come…

DJB

*For many weeks after my fall, the lyrics of the old spiritual Dem Bones (as heard in this version by the Delta Rhythm Boys), kept rolling through my brain:

“The toe bone connected to the foot bone
Foot bone connected to the heel bone
Heel bone connected to the ankle bone
Ankle bone connected to the shin bone
Shin bone connected to the knee bone
Knee bone connected to the thigh bone
Thigh bone connected to the hip bone
Hip bone connected to the back bone
Back bone connected to the shoulder bone
Shoulder bone connected to the neck bone
Neck bone connected to the head bone
Now hear the word of the Lord.”

Old Ezekiel would have made a good yoga teacher!

Installment #12 of The Gap Year Chronicles

Image: Sign and entrance to my yoga studio

Now That Was Exciting!

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Nationals LogoI was there for Game 5 of the 2012 National League Division Series, camera up and ready to capture Drew Storen throwing the division-winning strike that never came.

Two years later I was in the stands when rookie manager Matt Williams walked to the mound in the top of the 9th. There stood Jordan Zimmermann, just one out away from completing two of the most amazing back-to-back games with a potential win in Game 2 of the 2014 National League Division Series following his no-hitter to end the season. Only Williams never gives him the chance. Williams pulls Zimm from the game and puts in . . . yes . . . Drew Storen. Who in this instance quickly gave up two hits and one run and the Nats went on to lose the game in an excruciating 18 innings.

And there was more in 2014, 2016, and 2017. Yes, there’s a pattern here.

So the bottom of the 8th and the top of the 9th in last night’s National League Wild Card game was the chance for the Washington Nationals to bury old demons and set a new narrative. It was a chance to finally win a “win or go home” game in the playoffs.

And they won!

Even though they are far from perfect, these Nats are such fun to watch and the Nationals fans are responding. The energy of the 42,993 who were in the park was evident, and it really came to the fore in the 8th. You can read about the sequence of events in Thomas Boswell’s column. Suffice it to say that 20-year-old Juan Soto’s sharp single against one of the most feared relievers in the game with two outs and the bases loaded, coupled with an error by a rookie right fielder for the Brewers, cleared the bases and gave the Nats the lead. But the top of the 9th still loomed, and for some of us the Drew Storen-factor made it emotionally exhausting. Thankfully, Daniel Hudson came in to finish up a strong relief effort by Stephen Strasburg. Except for one single, Hudson shut down the Brewers and—blessedly—did it pretty quickly and effectively.

I haven’t raised my expectations for how the Nats—Dodgers series will turn out, but thankfully my expectations for what happens next are not tied to my happiness.

After last night, I’m very happy!

Go Nats!

More to come…

DJB

Follow Your Heart

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Pacific Grove

What happens when, facing a choice, your heart suddenly inserts itself into the conversation?

The final question in the recent Democratic presidential debate focused on resilience in the face of personal setbacks. All the candidates had strong responses, but South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg had—by almost all reviews—the most moving story. It connected at such a personal level for many because it was an account of following his heart.

A military officer and elected official from a deeply conservative state, Buttigieg spoke eloquently about living in fear of the impact that would result from revealing that he was gay. Yet he reached a point, he said, where he was “not interested in not knowing what it was like to be in love any longer.” The good news ending to his story of following the heart is that “When I trusted voters to judge me based on the job that I did for them, they decided to trust me and reelected me with eighty percent of the vote.”

As an ambitious young politician, the safe approach may have been to keep his secret hidden until after that election. Many of us, no doubt, would take that path, following the lead of our head in order to navigate the slings and arrows of the world. The struggle between head and heart—or logic and emotion—is as old as humankind.

Let’s be clear. Not all attempts to follow our heart are wise. Not all stories of following the heart turn out as well as Mayor Pete’s. It is fair to say that the world often dismisses those who follow their heart, marking them as unrealistic dreamers. There are many individuals and groups who have felt they had little choice but to hide their feelings, because if their emotions came through too strongly they would be criticized or not taken seriously. Yet, following your heart can often be not only the emotionally satisfying way forward, but the right choice which deserves to be respected and supported, especially in situations where our culture tells us to be safe and prioritize our head.

When faced with personal setbacks, my natural instinct is to push my feelings aside and show a strong, pragmatic, stoic exterior. But I’ve also had the opportunity—when I choose to do so—to take a different path. I find too often that I limit both my ability to connect with others and the possibilities for personal growth when I quickly and reflexively dismiss the impulse to bring my emotions forward.

Mayor Pete’s story led me to think about times when I’ve decided to follow my heart. I almost always find unexpected surprises and learn new lessons about myself. When I call on my emotions, I open up to others and their perspectives in ways that don’t always come naturally. When my heart is part of the equation, the journeys we are on together become more important to me. I am pushed to see and understand with new eyes. My heart encourages me to let gratitude be a driver in my life.

Following the heart, as Mayor Pete showed, often requires courage. But don’t be so afraid of the consequences that you choose not to live fully with head and heart. We really need both to survive.

Have a great week.

More to come…
DJB

Play more music

Installment #11 of The Gap Year Chronicles