Next Pitch Theory

Reminders are good.   Yesterday, I received an excellent one of how I need to take life in better stride when after work I jumped into my car to discover a large crack in my front windshield.   My first reaction was that of disgust, but my mind quickly turned to another incident that happened a few months ago.

Two months ago, I was driving to work and decided to fuel up and made a startling discovery.  Much to my surprise when I opened the fuel door the gas cap was missing. My first response was that of anger and frustration. When I thought about it I was pleasantly reminded of another such incident.  That was the day I invoked the next pitch theory.

About twelve years ago I was pitching for my church’s softball team when my first baseman and sometimes catcher, Rob Glasner, taught me a valuable lesson.  My team was up by just a run or two with one out to go in the last inning and I was growing tired.   It was then that the umpire made a flagrantly bad call that adversely affected my team.   The bases were full with runners and he called an obvious strike a ball and made the count full.

Normally, I had a history of when things didn’t go my way that I would meltdown. However, on this particular evening that was not the outcome.   My friend, Rob, sensing I was about to lose it called time out.   He then offered me some sound advice I have never since forgotten.   “Forget about everything else and make the next pitch,” he told me.   I heeded his advice and threw a pitch that the batted promptly popped up to the third baseman for the final out causing us to win the game.

So, here is how I used the next pitch theory in the two mishaps I mentioned earlier.  In the case of my gas cap, I just got a new one later that day after work.   In the case of my windshield, I just have to pay a fifty dollar deductable and the insurance company will get me a new one.

Sometimes life just seems unfair. However, we need to remind ourselves, like my gas cap and cracked windshield does for me, that we just need to make the next pitch.

Swavel