Yogi Berra was up to bat. The catcher told him, "You've got to be the ugliest guy in baseball. Yogi looked at him and said, "Who cares. You don't hit the ball with your face." In true Berra fashion, he proceeded to whack the ball.
Yogi was small and a little on the uncoordinated side. He played in the era of great players like Joe Dimaggio and Ted Williams. Yet, against the odds and in the presence of greatness, the little Italian kid from New Jersey managed to set over 20 Major League Records. He played on eight world series teams, something not even Babe Ruth did.
The cynics would say he got eight rings because he was in the right place at the right time. Now, I am not one to discount serendipity, but never call it luck. Besides, you are more likely to be in the right place at the right time if you have the right attitude all the time. When that catcher called him ugly, Yogi could have gotten worked up and started a bench-clearing brawl, but he chose the high road. He chose to speak with his bat. No one remembers the catcher who made the remark, but no one has forgotten Yogi.
My daughters are on summer break and all they want to do is swim. They went in the pool three times yesterday. Why three? Because I pulled them out when it rained. I know, they're getting wet anyway so why bother? I guess it has something to do with lightning. The beauty of watching them, and most kids, is that they find fun in the simple things. No need to complicate matters. This is fun. I am going to enjoy it.
When My son, Steven was a baby, he got an electric car one Christmas. Everyone was sure he would love it and eventually he did. Although the first thing he did was play with the enormous box the car came in. Does this mean there was something wrong with the child? Of course not. What it means is that he could see the big picture. A car is car, no matter how cool it is. A big box can be a car, a fort, a spaceship, a house. It has no limits. A one-year old knows this.
Why don't we?
I made spaghetti in pink sauce with chicken last night. Sounds good doesn't it? It wasn't. The pasta was good, but the chicken was bland. I guess I didn't prepare it properly. It looked good. I used garlic, salt, black pepper... you know, the standards. And yet it didn't taste right. It wasn't bad, but it was somehow incomplete.
Why?
Because the right ingredients mean nothing if not prepared properly. Thinking about it now, I realize the pan I used was too small. I didn't season the chicken properly. I threw it into the pan and then sprinkled the salt and pepper on it. (I sauteed the garlic in olive oil so that was correct.)
The kids ate, Abby and I ate. Baxter (our dog) approved of the chicken. But it wasn't great. It will be next time.
The negotiations are over pending paperwork. Let's see how that goes. Then, maybe I will reveal what that was all about. It's not personal, it's business.
Today's lesson.
-Like Yogi, do not listen to your critics. If you want to understand why they criticize you, look at their life. Did they fail at something your succeeding at? Are they, in some way, your adversary? Are they trying to get in your head? Of course, it's better to let it slide. People will always criticize you. Take it as an ugly stamp of approval and move on.
-Find your imagination. Get reacquainted with your childhood friends. Forget outside the box. Forget what's inside the box. The whole point of the thing is the box itself.
-Preparation is key. Having the right ingredients is not enough. Year after year, the Yankees spend tons of money on players. You may recall the lowly Marlins whipping them in the 2003 World Series. Despite the fact that the Yankees had better ingredients (players) the Marlins beat them in six games because they were better prepared.
Enjoy your Saturday. God bless you.
Adolfo
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