It's Only a Game?

It was the bottom of the sixth, two outs, bases loaded. 

My team, the Rennerdale Braves, was beating the Rennerdale Indians 4 to 3 in the last game of the local Little League World series when Mike Grimes stepped to the plate.

Killer moment for me. How do I pitch to him? Mike was the best, a homerun king.

I remember gripping the ball tighter than ever and throwing the ball harder than ever.

And then I heard the sounds of screaming fans as I looked over my right shoulder to see the last pitch I would ever throw fly over the fence…grandslam.

For those of you that have experienced heartbreak as a young child, I really don’t have to tell you how long I cried over that moment.

As I walked towards the family car my mother put her arm around me and said; “Now that you know the feeling of losing, you will really appreciate the feeling of winning.”

Back in the ‘60s only the champions received trophies. Losers walked away with tears and parents (in efforts to comfort their kids) saying things like, “It’s only a game”.

Correct, it is only a game and by definition a game is; a competition played according to rules and decided by skill, strength or luck.

Sounds like "life" to me.
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