Snapping Turtles and The World Series

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When Game 6 of The World Series approached the eleventh inning, inspiration arrived:  How many times in life do we give up just because we perceive that the odds are stacked against us?

In case you didn’t see the game, The St. Louis Cardinals needed the win to stay in The World Series.  If they lost, they were out and The Texas Rangers would be The World Series Champions.

But it was more than needing a simple win.  The Cardinals had so many moments when they were one strike away from losing that I lost count.  As Paul White reported in USA Today: “...The Rangers were one strike from winning a World Series — in two consecutive innings. They led by three runs in the eighth inning and two in the ninth. They had a two-run lead again in the 10th inning.”

A Cardinal fan since childhood, I found myself not breathing for most of the end of the game, and stayed up way past my bedtime as the innings racked up.

Can you imagine being Lance Berkman or David Freese, the whole weight of the game on their shoulders—the entire World Series at stake?  And did they step up to bat thinking there was no way they could pull it off?  I don’t think so.

Professional sports teams are usually coached to play with gusto until the game is over, no matter what.  It ain’t over until it’s over, ya know?  And last night it went on, and on, and on…

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My husband calls this trait “Snapping Turtle Tenacity.”  It’s the ability to stay after whatever “it” is with unmatched ferocity, even when things look completely hopeless.  I wonder how many times we give up or give in just before we were about to achieve something totally over the top.

Looking back, I can see several times in my life when I was a hit or two away from achieving something remarkable.  But life intervened, and I hadn’t considered the snapping turtle yet.

You often hear coaches and sports analysts say that it always comes down to who WANTS the win the most.  Talent helps, but drive and determination bring in the win.  Pollyanna platitudes?  Not if you were watching that eleven inning World Series game!

And what if you give it everything and miss the ball?  Then at least you know you’ve given it your best and finished the play.  But if you step up to the plate discouraged and disengaged, then you’ve already lost.

Are there things in your own life that you’re giving up on just a few seconds too early?  And is it costing you everything?

And remember, no matter how many times things fall apart—think Wile E. Coyote, the poster child of Snapping Turtle Tenacity—there is always another plot to hatch.

Cardinals and Rangers:  Thank you for the motivation!  And you can bet I’ll be tuning in tonight to watch the most tenacious team win The World Series!  Batter up!

I’d love to hear your comments.  And let me know who your favorite team is for Game 7!

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com