One of the great things about being an artist is meeting other artists. One of the great artists I know, Kyle Bannister, had a birthday yesterday. Kyle’s art is devoted to baseball. Baseball is his passion and his work of baseball players and everything else baseball is incredible. When I wished him Happy Birthday I told him that I hope the day hit it out of the park; trying to use sports metaphor (I’m not very sports inclined) to punctuate the day.
Later that day on Facebook, Kyle had responded back to me, “I always aim for the fence”. I got to thinking about his philosophy and his action plans for his special day and his life. Do you aim for the fence every time you get up to bat? You’re in the batter’s box everyday. When you step up to the plate what are you thinking? Do you strive to hit a home run everyday or do you set your sights lower?
You may think about everything related to sports as physical, but the truth is every sport has a huge psychological component. Many athletes engage the services of sports psychologists to get past the blocks (like an artist) that prevent them from playing their best. There are times when unbeknownst to us, we hold back. Do you hold back from fear of how powerful you might be or that you won’t measure up to your own expectations of the expectations of others?
If you were going to be a starting athlete in your own life, what kind of training do you need? Do you need to journal, speak with a coach, a therapist, or a spiritual director? What will make you stronger emotionally? Should you look into support groups or engage in expressive arts like dance or theater?
My hope is that every day when you step in the batter’s box you, like Kyle, aim for the fence. Having the vision and the belief in the possibility of a home run is critical on your journey to health and healing. You’re the star of your team…hit that home run!
Pilgrim Pathway/Surviving Strong 