On Saturday, I went to the Yankees game with my girlfriend. Even though everyone said it was a great game, I wasn't captivated by it. I've never been too into baseball. The pace is a little slow for me. And I find it difficult to keep track of all the players and positions. I'm actually more of a basketball guy. I'd have gladly traded my tickets to have seen the NBA Finals instead but we went as part of my mom's boyfriend's 50th birthday celebration.
Even though I wasn't focused on the game itself, it was an enjoyable experience. I've been to a few games and I know this one wasn't my last. I always have a good time. It's fun being surrounded by passionate people. Of course, when I watch sports, I always wonder how the world would be different if people were as passionate about global peace and happiness as they were abut sports. Or even just stopping Monsanto from poisoning our food with their chemicals. Honestly it baffles me. How do more people care about who wins a game than their overall health and well-being?
Who knows. Maybe people are just looking for ways to take their minds off those types of worries. It's good to let loose. And passion is passion. It influences you. Even if you don't follow baseball, you still feel the crowd's "ooohs," and "ahhhs" on the big plays. It's fun to be a part of a group.
You go to the game, you put on your hat or jersey, and all of a sudden, you're a part of the team. You're one of the New York Yankees. You're a cheerleader, but you're part of the team nonetheless.
Regardless of all the religion and politics and everything else that separates people, you can get on the same page as the thousands of people that fill the stadium. For at least that day, you're part of something bigger. And that is an amazing feeling to have. To know that you are a crucial and significant piece of a complex and intricate whole.
Cheering is powerful. The encouragement makes a difference. There is something to be said about positive energy. When I was a senior at MacArthur High School, I went to every football game I could to root for my friends on the field. We painted our chests with the team name and everything. G-E-N-E-R-A-L-S. I was L. It was exhilarating to lead cheers, amp up the crowd, and get everyone loud. Our friends on the field told us it made all the difference.
It's inspiring to have someone rooting for you. At a stadium, you might just be one voice, one mind among thousands, but you make a difference. You come together with others to form a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts. And the team feels it.
Our thoughts have power. Our thoughts create positive and negative energy, depending on what we think. That energy makes a difference in the world.
Humans are a team. What is the point of being alive if we're not all at least kind of trying to achieve global peace and happiness in some way, shape, or form? Some people live selfishly. Some people care only about their own happiness. Some extend that care to a circle of friends and family. In a peaceful world, the circle is limitless. It would extend to all life. At the very least, let's extend it to all humans.
This week, let's meditate on teams and the positive energy of cheering. We should help each other out. We should cheer each other on. We should encourage one another. People will feel it. It will make a difference. It will make them happier. It will make you happier. It will make the world a better place. Join the team. Join team Human Happiness. Take this week to think about your role on all the teams you are part of. Think about your role as a family member, friend, neighbor, parent, significant other, employee, etc. For at least this one week, root for your teams. Cheer on those around you, and watch it make a difference.
P.S. - The Yankees Beat The Rays 7-5 (Just in case you were curious)
