I'm a Maine based photographer, specializing in weddings and lifestyle portraiture. I serve all of New England and beyond as no event is ever too far.

Passion for the game

I was lying in bed this morning, thinking about baseball.  Luckily, I have a dog who enjoys the occasional lazy morning. So, he snuggled up with me while I thought about last nights game.  First of all, I’ve never lived in a place this dedicated to a team.  I imagine my neighbors actually put away fireworks and at one point they must have had the thought, “I’ll save these if the Sox win the series”  because there were fireworks for hours last night.  Living almost 2 hours from Fenway, I literally felt the excitement from here.  I like this.  I like baseball.  I don’t think I could ever even try to compete in liking it as much as these folks but it’s nice to be surrounded by this much passion.

There was a particular moment that stands out to me in last nights game.  Now, I haven’t followed the back story and I’ve gathered from my Twitter feed that there is one, I’m just looking at the moment as it was and as I relate to it.  So, if you are a crazed die hard fan, please know that I’m not looking to have a debate about John Lackey.  Thank you.

Ok.  So, John Lackey pitched 7 innings.  He left the mound with bases loaded by walking a guy he said was, “His guy.”  He essentially could have been swapped out at that point but they let him have his guy and it just didn’t work out.  Off he walks with his head down and I’m thinking DUDE and then he lifts his head and tips his hat to a thunderous crowd.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/10/31/red-sox-pitcher-john-lackey-completes-turn-redemption/m4rF3zU5CO5sLA3B5hbmQJ/story.html

He gets into the bullpen and with this deep down manly grrrr, says, “DAMMIT”

This is what baseball lead me to think about this morning.  That moment.  Here is a guy who just pitched 7 innings in a game that won his team the world series.  I can’t imagine as a ball player, it getting much better than that.  To him, he wanted to take it ALL the way.  He wanted to pitch the last pitch.  The one to strike out the last out.  The one to win the game.  Watching him leave the mound discouraged with his head down was so relatable and sad.  You see from the outside what he has just accomplished, what he has just done, what he has just lined up, what he just created yet all he can see is what he hasn’t done.  All he can see is what he knows he can still do.

So, how does this all relate to me.  Well, it’s simple.  This is my weakest characteristic. I saw it played out in the final game of the world series. So, baseball leads me to a giant blog confession which I think is necessary and very human.  Lackey so kindly showed me that when we don’t get our way, we don’t see the good in that moment.  Even when we’re succeeding, we can feel like we’re failing.  Take for instance, a wedding.  Let’s say, we have planned, planned and planned and then on the day of there is a hurricane and all of the ideas I had that I wanted to create for the client, can no longer happen because well, there is a hurricane so what I could have done is not possible.  When things don’t go as planned and I know I could give the client more or do more is very hard on me.  I feel exactly the way Lackey did as he entered the bullpen.

One of my brides this year said it herself while we were taking their first glance pictures.  We were in an area where there was absolutely no reason for anyone to be around us and a group of people were floating in and out of the frame on purpose.  The bride turned around and said that she’s only been waiting a year for this and asked them {total strangers} to please move because they were in the back of her pictures.  She turned back to me and said either she or I was going to end up punching someone out and I was like wow, have I given you that impression and she said no but I know you care as much as I do.  She’s right.  I do.  I put fireworks away on a shelf for you.  Just waiting to set them off for your day.  I cannot wait to produce, create and document what I see on your day.  It’s my baseball and I’m so glad that I found it.  I’m wrapping up my 13th season and I feel I can say I’ve won the series too this year.  I’m tipping my hat and I’m truly going to take in all that was accomplished this year and be mindful of this characteristic and have a little more compassion for it.

xoxo . . .

 

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Welcome and thank you for taking the time to visit the Melissa Mullen Photography blog. I'm a Maine based photographer, specializing in weddings and lifestyle portraiture. I serve all of New England and beyond as no event is ever too far. Please feel free to take a look around and introduce yourself by leaving a comment of affection at the bottom of any of the posts. Or drop me a note as I would love to hear from you.

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