Day 308: Playing with the Enemy

I just got done reading, Playing with the Enemy, by Gary W. Moore.

It is a book about Gary Moore's father, Gene Moore, his brush with baseball greatness, WWII and playing with the enemy (in this case, some German prisoners).

I mention this book because one it is an amazing book, an amazing story and worth reading.

I also mention this book because several truths? lessons? observations? popped out at me.

In life, we can do everything in our power to help someone succeed, but in the end the person has to do it themselves. In the book, Gene needed to play ball like he wanted to make it to the majors - this was after a severe bone break in his ankle.

Gene, for so long after that break chose to drown himself in alcohol instead of taking the problem head on.

How many of us choose to drown in our chosen poison? (be it food, video games, ipads, television, books, etc...).

Gene never made it to the majors, but he stayed in the minors long enough to help a friend make it to the majors. The friend was willing to stay in the minors until Gene could make it to the majors too, but Gene knew that his ankle was never going to let him play at that level. Gene did all he could to ensure that his friend made it.

This is noble, but for so long afterwards Gene still felt depressed about this choice - even after marrying and having children.

One of the German POWs returned to visit Gene years after the war was over. This wonderful man named his son after Gene. Even told Gene that he was living the life he was destined to live. Gene didn't get it until the German POW asked him this question: If you had made it to the majors would you have met your wife and had your children? Which would you rather give up? Gene realized at that moment he would rather have his wife and children.

Gene went on to have a good life, even built a company with his wife where his charisma that made him a great ball player helped him be a great boss.

How many of us constantly playing what if. What if I moved here instead of here? What if I took this job instead of that job? What if I had followed a dream?

Instead we should ask what part of our life would we want to give up? If I had done my life differently in the past would I have the husband and children I have today? I don't know and not willing to find out.

Life is a journey. It is a hard journey. Some feel that we are destined for specific destinies or missions.

I think, for me, after reading this book, that our destinies are more complex than we can imagine, but it is Satan's job to think we have messed it up - be it a broken ankle that destroys a career in the majors or broken a marriage or weight gain that we can't quite get rid of.

Our job is to be each others coaches, helping each person reach their potential without forgetting that we have to do the actual work for ourselves. I can give my son the bike, but I can't ride the bike for him. My husband can give me support to walk and eat right, but I am the one that has to do the work.

I hope this post makes sense. Basically, we help one another, but do hard work on ourselves. We apply our talents to the important things in our life and we let destiny take care of itself.

Happy Walking!