Traditions are special to me.
Traditions that involve my family are even more special to me.
Not surprisingly, I loosely assume that is the case for most of us.
Traditions are established or customary patterns of practices, customs, values and/or actions passed from generation to generation and usually not written down.
The one I am focused on today took place yesterday in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cincinnati, Ohio – my hometown – is a baseball town. It has the honor of having the oldest professional baseball team in the United States – going back to 1869 when the team was called the Cincinnati Red Stockings.
The Cincinnati Reds is a team baked into my DNA.
- My grandfather was a local florist who in the 1930’s advertised regularly in the printed programs passed out before each game.
- My father-in-law and my mother went to games as kids, as did both my husband and I.
- My father bought season tickets immediately behind home plate in 1975 and took his children and grandchildren to as many games as he possibly could.
Going to Opening Day in Cincinnati is a cherished tradition in my family – providing us with a sense of identity and continuity. We all try to attend each year – in spite of living out of state, work deadlines and children’s sports practices and school commitments.
And every year, some of us make it and some of us don’t.
Here’s this year’s gang:
The more we mark Opening Day with our continuing presence, our commitment to this yearly trek to Ohio becomes even more cherished and more meaningful. It is a torch my husband and I aspire to pass on to the next generation and beyond.
And what makes Opening Day special?
- The parade in downtown Cincinnati featuring not just the present team, but former players and coaches
- Live music, vendors hawking their wares, Reds’ t-shirts for sale on every street corner
- The photo ops in front of the iconic bronze sculpture of Pete Rose headfirst slide into a base
- The proud singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner”
- The Seventh Inning Stretch when the crowd croons “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”
- And the sheer joy of seeing a full stadium packed with fans
But most of all, what does Opening Day scream out?
HOPE
Hope – that against all odds – someday soon – the Cincinnati Reds will resurrect the Big Red Machine and bring home a winner.
And if they don’t?
If this year is hotly contested or just mediocre?
If they lose more than they win?
Or win a little more than they lose?
If they are grounded by injuries or if the new manager doesn’t turn it around?
No matter – we will be back again next year to hope for a better result.
And if, by some outlandish streak of luck and expertise, they actually clinch a coveted championship title, what then?
We will be back next year – ensnared in a circle of hope that they can pull it off again!
Why? Because that’s our tradition.
Traditions ground us, define us, give our world richness.
May we all be blessed with an over-abundance of traditions.
And, if we find our life lacking those defining rites of passage, may we “strike out” on our own and make new ones.
Keep Preserving Your Bloom,
PS: Entering into the 9th inning, the Reds maintained their 3-2 lead. In the 9th inning, the Giants scored 4 runs to pull off a 6-4 comeback victory over the Reds.