First and Only

I believe it was the baseball player, Joe DiMaggio, who said that he had to play his best everyday because it might be the first and only time that someone might be in that stadium to see him. Teams played 154 games each summer. Some players got bored at times and did not try their best, or felt out of sorts and held back. Joe thought about the fan who had come to see him play. He did not focus on being bored or feeling lousy that day. He got out of himself. It was part of his greatness as a player. One year he got a hit in 56 straight games, a record never matched.

I travel around giving spiritual talks, parish missions, and retreats. At times I get bored saying the same things over again, or I feel lousy that day and want to cut things short or conserve my energy. But I think of Joe, and realize that for the person in the congregation or audience, this is the first and only time that they will hear what I am saying. For them I must do my best. Life is such a burden when I think only of me. Bored with routines today? You never know if today you might be a one and only experience for someone else. They may need your best.