I am sure you know who #42 belonged to in the game of baseball. On Monday night, every MLB player took the field with a 42 on their back to honor Jackie Robinson's legacy. He broke the color barriers in baseball by making his MLB debut with the Dodgers on April 15, 1947 and the game has never been the same. For the record... I understand that my summary is putting everything he did/ endured, lightly... but even though I did a report on him in Jr. High, I’m not going to pretend to be an expert... and I definitely don't want to get any of the info incorrect! So, moving on, there have also been a few others that have worn that number that deserve to be recognized. Mariano Rivera being one that you may recognize, as he was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. After mentioning those two names, you either looked them up or automatically realized that it is kind of a big deal to wear that particular number. Since 1947, anyone sporting the #42 has had a lot to live up to. Well tomorrow, my husband will get to the field and put on his jersey with #42 on the back. Just as he has everyday since we got to Japan. He will then take the field, step on the mound, and work hard for his team. He will do his best to deserve the respect that the number bears at home because here, #42 isn’t retired, and Tyler has the honor of wearing it. No pressure right?
Tyler has worn a variety of numbers over the years: 5, 18, 34, 36, 28, 44, I think there may have even been a 27 (and that is just since I have been around). I am sure that there is a legend out there somewhere connected to every single one of them. However, they may all not have left a legacy as large as Jackie Robinson, but maybe you are starting to catch my drift here? It’s not always about the number you wear, it’s about how you use them.
Every guy/ girl who plays a sport wants to know “How do I make a name for myself in this game? How do I leave a legacy?” Well I will throw the most obvious out there... you have to be pretty good. Right? I would also think that whether you were just born with the talent or if you have crushed through huge barriers to get to where you are, you have to have good work ethic and know/ love/ respect the game. But what is it that really sets you apart to the people in the stands? How do you impact the people watching? You may catch their eye with a nasty curve ball or the ability to hit a walk-off grand slam... but what impacts how a fan lives their life when they go home, is the human underneath the jersey. The heart inside of it. It is making a difference on and off the field. You have to make people see that doing good for others is a really cool way to live your life. Robinson made strides in equality for the human race. Rivera started churches and opened elementary schools for underprivileged children. Tyler is starting his legacy by signing every baseball that gets shoved in his face. He kneels down for every kid that has a card with his puffy pitching face on it (and if you have one of these cards in your possession, you know exactly what I mean by that!). I carry a pen around in my purse for the kid in the restaurant who asks if he can have an autograph, because it teaches kids what it means to be kind to those around them. It shows kids that they matter. It is through those acts that I know that my husband is destined for some kind of greatness, because he takes the time to show that he cares.
If you are thinking that you don’t get up every morning and put on a number, so you can’t make that kind of difference… you are wrong. Sorry to put that so bluntly… but you don’t have to have a number to make a contribution to the overall well-being of the world. You don’t have to be famous, a legend on a field, or have a lot of money to make a difference in people’s lives. You just have to take the time to be kind to someone. At this point you may think that I am crazy, because as far as you know, being nice to one person isn’t a way to leave a legacy. But think about it for a second… a legacy is something that is passed along, a gift. Who says that showing an abundant amount of love or helping someone find their worth isn't a gift?! Let's say you show compassion to one person... you show them what God truly looks like, and he goes on to do the same for someone else. Then that person makes amends with his family and because of that, his daughter knows enough love to go off and start an organization that brings water to underprivileged families. Then someone in that community survives because of the fresh water and grows up to be the person who invents the cure for cancer. I know, these are extreme examples but God put you here for a reason. Big or small... and whether you believe that or not, I do. I truly trust that you were created for some kind of GREATNESS, just like Jackie, Mariano, my husband. Just because you don’t wear your name across your shoulders doesn’t mean you don’t have something to give.
A friend once told me that, "You and Tyler have such a higher calling than baseball. It’s like he gets to play baseball while you both change the world." Now, I don't know about changing the world... but it made me think about myself differently. The way people look at you, changes you. It lights a fire inside of you to be the kind of person they already think you are. I have never been so proud, as when Tyler bends down to take a picture with a child and the look in that little kids eyes is telling the camera that they (even for a split second) feel like the most important person on the planet. My heart melts every time I see a young adult smile and ask to shake Tylers hand. It is an incredible feeling to be sitting in the stands when Tyler strikes out the side and somebody, that I have never met, turns around to give me a thumbs up. Only to later find out that Tyler tossed his kid a ball once... and the joy he brought his son brought him back to the very same stadium to show his support. We come in contact with a lot of people through this life and we try to look at them and treat them in a way that will change their world, even if it isn't changing the whole world at one time. We are absolutely using baseball as our mission field, but even if you don't have easy access to a big platform... start with the people around you. Show them some love, because it matters. Be that change for someone. Light a fire in them to be a person who spreads passion everywhere they go. Continue to wake up each morning, and put on a shirt (regardless of if it has a team name stitched on the front), and show someone you care. Show someone God's light. Just be kind... because you my friend, even if you don't know it, you are leaving your own legacy!
Comentários