A Lesson in Preparation (week 427)

Well, it was the best of times and the worst of times this week.  On one hand, I played the best baseball of my life on a Wednesday night--striking out 6 out of 7 hitters (and the first 3 on just 10 pitches), hitting a double with 2 RBI and getting my first win of the season--and then playing the worst baseball of my life on Saturday--walking 5 in the first inning, giving up 3 runs, and getting pulled after just one inning on the hill.  The difference?  Preparation.

The most important part of the baseball, as my Dad always says, is that it teaches us about ourselves and about life.  Whether good or bad, win or lose, the most important thing is that we learn something about ourselves.  What I learned this week was about preparation: that if I stay up late at my best friend's birthday party, hanging out in the pool, eating cookies, and drinking lots of juice; I don't play very well the next day.  On the other hand, if I go to bed early, drink lots of water, and eat healthy food, I play the best baseball and basketball of my life.  When I prepared for Friday's reading test, I earned my 7th straight star.  When I didn't prepare for our baseball game, I couldn't throw a strike.  The results of the test or the game are decided before it happens.

In fact, Saturday was the worst day of my baseball life.  Sunday, was the best day of my basketball life.  Nate, Kyle, and I partied hard on Friday night.  The two of them combined to strike out 4 times with 9 people on base.  I got pulled in the first inning.  That night, I went to bed early and drank lots of water.  Our basketball team--the Oregon Ducks--continued our playoff run by playing the best basketball of our lives and beat the No. 1 seeded (and undefeated) Stanford Cardinal.  We ended losing the fourth and final Championship game on Sunday afternoon to the Cal Bears by three points (with some very questionable enforcement of the attack line), but the most important part--as Dad says--was that I learned about life, myself, and the value of preparation.

This weekend, Chris performed at Church "From the Day You Were Born" and I attended our choir rehearsal between the Semi Finals and the Finals basketball games.  It was a good weekend for music, art, sports, and friends.  But the most important part was that I learned the value of preparation!