English Poems
“Vin”
“Vin”
Before I knew his name, I knew the game. Before I knew the game, I knew his voice. To some, as he painted the game with the sound of his illustrious voice, the sounds of the game were nothing more than radio noise.
I did not speak the language when I first heard his voice. For some unexplainable reason, to me, his voice was much more than radio noise. To millions, especially after his departure from the game, the thought of having him announce one more inning fills us with excitement and causes us to rejoice.
In his youth, he studied broadcasting and journalism and he even played the game at Fordham University. After joining the Dodgers in 1950, he worked with Jackie Robinson, who, by breaking the baseball color line, to the MLB brought racial diversity.
Before every game, from the umpires, he received a salutation. Minutes later, his distinctive voice treated millions to the game of this great nation. Thousands still drive to the Dodger Stadium while many others, with their radio in hand, on a bus, arrive from Union Station.
With his unique style and grace, he told stories about many baseball greats. He recalled his youth and told us when he met Babe Ruth. On April 25, 1976, in the fourth inning, stunned and surprised by the unfamiliar action in the outfield, he seemed almost speechless as he watched Rick Monday save the American Flag, our country’s shield. Among many others, he referred to Clayton Kershaw as one of the best he and the game ever saw.
In 1949, at Fenway Park, a college football game was his first big broadcasting gig. Since then, his magical voice and stories have inspired us in many ways. On September 25, 2016, the day of his last game at Dodger Stadium, in the booth where inning by inning, he slipped out of his youth, he met with his all-time favorite player, Willie Mays.
Vin. After sixty-seven years, on October 2, 2016, from San Francisco, we heard his last broadcast, which brought his seemingly endless career to an end. Vin. Before he left Dodger Stadium for the last time, with a fairytale ending of a walk-off home run, Charlie Culberson sealed Vin’s marvelous career with a win.
Vin. Without him, the game does not feel quite the same. It hurts to say, but without the decorations of his colorful voice, Opening Day feels like just another game day. We love him. We remember him. We miss him, especially on Opening Day.
“Disconnected”
“The items which are supposed to keep us connected are the very same ones that disconnect us at our core.”
“Now”
“Now”
Now. The time to celebrate, love, hug, kiss, help or appreciate someone is now. Not when they are dead. By then, your name or any precious memories will no longer roam in their head. You will simply cry over their empty bed while you choke on all the words you wish you would have said.
You can choose to reach out now. Don’t know how? Ask a friend who’s lost a parent. They may show you how. When they reach out to you, give them your attention as there may be important and life changing things they would like to mention.
Enjoy their presence now. Tell them how much you appreciate them for who they are. A mistake we often make is to see someone only as a cash cow. If you are healthy and able, enjoy with them all that heaven and earth will allow.
Yes. The time is now. You might be right when you see nothing but blue skies ahead. Remember, death has a way of disguising a black cloud over our head. One minute we are enjoying life and the next minute we could be dead.
Why wait until someone is laying in a coffin to bring them a bouquet of roses or even a single flower? You can do so much more now. Don’t wait until their final hour.
The time is now. All we have is now.
“Was It Real?”
“Was It Real?”
Several years have passed and I still wonder if what we had was real. From time to time, I recall those precious moments, when we both became one, and how it made me feel.
Did I do enough to conquer your heart? Did I do too much? Perhaps you were simply allergic to my soft and humble touch. One thing I know, whatever we had, no longer exists. Now, in my dreams, on occasion, I find myself desiring your sometimes cold but sinfully delicious kiss.
Many things brought us joy. Although we are no longer there, those things remain for another couple to enjoy. Was it real? Did I imagine your beauty and your existence because of the love I wanted to feel?
Was it real? Like me, from this invisible but luminous pain, did you require many years to heal? Perhaps you healed quickly and found yourself working your magic, looking for another heart to steal.
Where do stolen hearts go? Is there a pawn shop for those? Perhaps a healing zone once they are not able to produce a love dose? I still need to heal. The desire to love and to be loved is something I long to once again feel.
Was it real?
For a reason…
I often hear the phrase, “Everything happens for a reason.” Your neighbor’s view on this philosophy might be different than yours. Of course, you may both have the same view. There are only two possibilities.
There are some who will try to prove their viewpoint with facts while their neighbor will simply blame the cat for all the good and bad that happens in their life. Then, there are what I call spectators. The ones who don’t exactly publicize their viewpoint at all. They simply live life and observe. I like to think of them as those fans you will find at a baseball game with a scorebook and pencil in hand. It takes wisdom to be a spectator.
I believe they have successfully managed to, at will, tap into their sixth sense, which I believe we all have. When something happens, they don’t just see. They have also learned to observe and therefore process the information differently than someone who just ‘sees’ what is happening around them or, sadly, to them. I like to think of it as them not blinking when a critical sign in their life flashes before their eyes.
I’m quite certain that if you look around your house you will find a pencil. You might even find several. The question is, Will you find a scorebook?
An Angel in Red
My heart ached this morning as I watched a beautiful young child, an angel dressed in red, mimic the words, tone, and mannerisms of the person who is supposed to set examples for angels like him. Here, I will refer to this person as the devil.
The angel stood out. He was dressed in red. Surrounded by five family members, he seemed happy and full of joy. Every once in a while, I would observe a beautiful smile radiating from this angel and my heart ached less.
The devil’s words were mean and ill intended. Everyone present felt them cut through the energy in the room like a hot knife cuts through butter. All the while, the beautiful angel continues to imitate this devil. Based on the actions and attitudes of the other four family members, it was obvious to me that all of this seemed perfectly normal. Not one of them said one word. Instead, one insisted on catering to and pleasing the devil, which quickly proved impossible.
Not necessarily worth mentioning, but the devil in this real life story was wearing white. Ironic? Are your angels imitating you?
Contagious
Negative energy is contagious. This morning, I once again experienced this fact. Purchasing my morning coffee proved to be much more challenging than other mornings. I could not understand why. A took a step back to take myself out of the event and became an observer. The cashier was not able to give me change because her manager was obviously not approachable. I sensed an invisible and apparently impenetrable shield of negative energy around her. She was not just negative, she was angry. In her attempt to promptly fill the orders, she dropped food. Seconds later, the cooks were dropping food. Another employee dropped a shake before it was filled to the rim. While all this is happening, the cashier is trying to figure out how to approach her manager about my change. She finally gave up. She apologized several times and asked if she can give me my change in quarters. While I welcomed this simple solution, I was saddened for the manager and for all of the employees that choose to put up with this bevahior. It was clear that the employees feared this manager. Was the manager even aware of how her attitude affected the entire staff? I know I was.
Are you alienating your employees? Do your cations contribute to a harmonious workplace?