Mi Amor

And even as I wander
I’m keeping you in sight
You’re a candle in the window
On a cold, dark winter’s night
And I’m getting closer than I ever thought I might

And I can’t fight this feeling anymore!

Uh oh. What's going on here? Has your beloved blog writer found himself smitten with a female?

Not quite. Although, Valentine's Day was involved...

On February 14th, pitchers & catchers reported to spring training this month. It is the Groundhog Day for baseball fans everywhere. It means that baseball is coming back. When the rain & cold weather would wither my soul away to nothing, a crack of warmth creeps in when I remind myself that the boys of summer are right around the corner.

I love baseball. I love the sounds and the smells. I love the simplicity & complexity. I love playing fantasy baseball, and I love watching baseball when there's nothing on the line. But I especially love it when something is on the line.

I love watching Josh Beckett carve up a line-up. I love watching Jose Reyes stretch a double into a triple. I love the drama of a late-inning nail-biter. I love watching David Ortiz step to plate in those kinds of games. I love Big Papi's pre-hitting routine of spitting on a glove and slapping his hands together.

I just love baseball.

There is something elemental about the game. Maybe it's just because it was the first sport I ever really fell in love with. But it's a great game on so many levels. Despite all the hullabaloo over performance enhancing drugs, the game is good. It is uncomplicated; it makes sense. While there are a lot of things in this world that confuse me, baseball is a comforting constant to return to. And existentially, it represents so much of who we are -- where we've been, who we are, and what we are becoming.

I welcome you back, America's pastime. I look forward to our next few months together.