Stay at Home to Watch the Rain

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

So I'm scanning the latest newsprint copy of Baseball America. I have a photographic memory of anything I read on paper, but not for things I read on a computer screen. There is something about the tactility of holding a book or a newspaper that helps my brain imprint information. This does not work with electronic formats at all, and for that reason I don't find things like a Kindle to be appealing. But anyway, back to the point.

I'm reading Baseball America and get to the obituary section, and I read that former major league pitcher Charlie Lea died back in November. Age 54. I don't remember reading about it on the internet, but I was writing the book at the time and had my blinders on to anything not prospect related.

Then I see that former pitcher Terry Mathews died last month. Age 47. Two of my best friends here in Kansas are 47.

Meritt Ranew died in October. I remember him from Ball Four. Mickey Scott died in November. Randy Stein died in December. He had Alzheimers. I had their baseball cards and I remember them as they were 30 years ago. Guys on baseball cards aren't supposed to get Alzheimers.

I didn't know any of these guys or what they did beyond baseball, but reading that obit section was like a punch in the gut. This feels like my childhood dying.

I'm feeling my age these days. This blog is now seven years old, and I'm seven years older than when we started. There is a big difference between age 44 and 37, or even age 42. . .in terms of available physical and mental energy, plus minor health issues that are individually no-big-deal, but in aggregate represent a clear change in the way my body works.

Time marches on. Savor every moment, and don't waste a chance to be with your friends or your family. Go out and do that thing you always wanted to do, but were afraid to try. Do it now.