Last night, I watched, in amazement, the Major League All Star Game. I learned some valuable lessons by watching Mariano Rivera enter into his office, the pitcher’s mound, in the 8th inning. In fact, I rewound it and watched it a second time with my son. Mariano Rivera is retiring from the game after 19 years in the major leagues. I remember when he started playing. He came into the New York Yankees organization as a set up man for their then closer, John Wetteland. Now, when he enters a game, the song “Enter Sandman” blares from the stadium speakers as his job is to put the other team’s batters to sleep by getting them out and ending the game. He has over 600 saves credited to his account in the major leagues. Awesome!
Now I am not a New York Yankees fan by any means or stretch of the imagination. I am a Boston Red Sox fan and of course, Texas Rangers fan. But what I witnessed last night was a champion entering his last Major League All Star Game ever. He will be a Hall of Fame inductee without question. However, what I was able to teach my son last night through the game of baseball was even greater than his last game. You see, Mariano Rivera is one of the most respected players in the major leagues. In fact, the person that he is caused his peers to do and exemplify some amazing character traits that each of them have at a time when the world wants each of them to scream, “Hey, look at me!” They screamed, “Hey! Look at Him!”
You see, both the American League team and the National League team stayed in the dugout and it was just Mariano Rivera and the catcher out there to warm up. Not even the position players took the field. Those players taught a me some valuable lessons and gave me opportunity to teach my son.
3 Lessons that I Learned from the All Star Game.
- Respect those Who have gone before you.
- Honor those who deserve honor.
- Humility is best worn when Pride is desired.
Those players paid tribute to a man who has gone before them and set a benchmark in the game. They honored him by staying in the dugout to give him the big stage. And in a day and age where humility is left for those who are usually never seen, they set aside their pride and wore the uniform of humility to show honor and respect.
Who has gone before you that is worthy of honor and respect?
What is stopping you from showing them?
How can you set aside your pride and wear the uniform of humility to show that person or persons respect and honor?
It is only fitting that I close this writing, in honor of Mariano Rivera by saying,
GO SOX!
He would appreciate it!
oneguyseyes 