I fell in love a few weeks ago.
It happened just like everyone said it would, when I wasn’t looking for it, when I wasn’t paying attention.
I don’t believe in love at first site, and one could argue that this was a long time coming, but all I can say is that I feel good. I might even be a bit obsessed. I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but I’m just going with the flow for now.
I knew the minute I sat down. The minute I took it all in. There was no other place I wanted to be, but right there in that moment. I felt right at home – a sense of calm mixed with excitement. It blindsided me. “Head over heels” just doesn’t do it justice. But this is love. Real love, I just know it is.
A few weeks ago, I fell in love with baseball.
Aaaah, I love basketball, I’ve always been a fan. Football, I can tolerate but it was never really my thing. And baseball? I just don’t know…
I spent more time at Fenway Park growing up in Boston than I care to admit, but I never went there to watch the game. It was more of a place to hang out back then. I was far more interested in Landsdown Street and getting into the bars & clubs that lined that part of town than anything else. I was just a kid and shouldn’t have been hanging at the park let alone getting into the clubs, but that’s a whole other story for another time.
What I don’t understand is how I never got hooked on the game of baseball after all those years….but I guess none of that matters at this point, I’m here now!
My first game after all this time was just the other day: the Dodgers played the Cincinnati Reds. The Dodgers won and from what I understand it was a pretty exciting game – I was so green and didn’t get much of it at all so I remember very little. And yet, there was something about the park, the fans, the perfect aura of it all that just overwhelmed me. It touched a part of me I didn’t know existed and I find myself yearning to be back in the park again watching the game under the perfectly lit sweet sky.
There are some “isms” I’ve come to realize in these past few weeks of research that are kinda cool if not a little weird, about me. To my surprise, I own both a Red Sox hat and a Dodger hat (A very cool vintage Brooklyn Dodger hat) and my 3rd favorite movie of all time has always been Field of Dreams. I used to always say “it’s not just a movie about baseball…” but now that I understand so much more about the game I appreciate one of my favorite movies even more (just watched it again the other day). So maybe baseball’s always been part of me and I just never really noticed? Maybe that’s the thing about baseball: it gets under your skin without you even realizing it. Maybe it’s an innate part of being an American. Maybe it’s just in our blood? I don’t know. I’m finding it hard to explain my new found love.
I do have a few regrets though, questions really. You know, I’ve always been and will always be a girl from Boston. But I don’t know everything about the Red Sox just yet, so do I have to commit so quickly? And because I live in Los Angeles and went to a Dodger game I “sided” with Dodger fans and decided I’d root for the Dodgers, but, I’ve been “seeing” other games and, well, I’m just saying, I’m a little interested, that’s all. I recently watched a Tivo’d game between San Francisco and Philly and I think I REALLY fell in love (the Giants won)! I’m so confused!
So, here’s what I’m thinking – I’m open to any suggestions, but like any relationship, maybe I need to take it a little slow? Maybe I need to ease my way into this before I make any long term commitments? I’m just learning who I am in this relationship and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to back up just a bit? You know, see how we mesh? See if it’s the real thing? And hey, shouldn’t I keep myself open to the many other possibilities? I am a young girl after-all and there seems to be quite a few teams out there I may want to consider – Plus, I have to think about the long term. What are they offering me? I’m not sure I’m ready for a commitment just yet. I’m thinking I should at least go out on a date with each one before I commit to the first team that knocks on my door, right?
Hmmm…..
Well, the only thing I know for sure is that I’m not a Yankee fan or a Mets fan. Sorry, but a girl’s gotta have standards and there are just some boys I will not date!
Woohoo!
Dodgers are playing – gotta go!
(repost from 2009)
Copyright 2010 Carmen Lezeth Suarez