And in that moment, deafening cheers, hearts beating, breaths escaping, elation, stripes and bright stars, perfectly choreographed pandemonium, hope dances and swirls.

Tucked into paradise, blades of grass shimmer, a diamond dazzles, towering trees in the yonder, an open sky, patriotism thrives, children bursting glee and wonder, dreams arrive, generations unite, hearts break, hearts soar, take us out to the crowd, we root root root, this old ball game that captures us, friendships deepen, rifts depart, we sway and stretch. Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls – we sing we honor.

Superstitions abound, rituals rise, tap tap tap

A crack of the bat.

Silence, we freeze, time suspended.

A shooting star.

The announcer sing songs:

and she is OUT OF HERE…. SHE IS GONE

A GALAXY ERUPTS

Amnesia takes over, rabbits vanish, worries disappear, no bills, no divorce, no cancer, no sickness.

Abracadabra.

Woven. Generations gather in our heart.

A kaleidoscope of loved ones passed.

Mom glitters, sparkles and shines on my soul “extra mustard with lots of relish Corinne, don’t forget the peanuts.”

Embers of Dad flickering in my heart. The tattered tickets from games we attended that hid in his desk drawer.

Connection. Comrades. Magic. The “you can’t make this stuff up” rhetoric.

Koufax, Ruth, Gibson, Williams, Scully, DiMaggio,Rose, Lasorda, Trout, Freeman, Sykes, Gitchen, Medina, Russell, Robinson.

The “I don’t care if I never get back.” Truth APPEARS

Fingers point to the sky, bases rounded, we fall exhausted in a heap of joy.

Credits Roll: God, Mom, Dad, Teacher, Coach, Neighbor, Brother, Sister, Grandparents, Friend.

For the love of the game. Oh how I love the game.

Always and Forever yours.

With love,

Cori