As spring rolls around and Wrigleyville becomes crowded with out-of-town visitors and Chicagoans wearing red, white and blue, and sporting baseball gloves, I find myself wishing I had the dedication of a Cubs fan. The team has a less than stellar record and a small field, yet people from all over Chicago (well, it's probably safe to say not from the South Side) clamber to Addison Street to suffer through rain, snow and heat to watch their beloved Cubbies play (and most likely lose) another game.
According to legend, the Cubs' perpetually bad seasons are due to a curse that involves an annoyed tavern owner and his goat. It's obviously not a lack of support that causes the Cubs to do so poorly - so, I'm beginning to think this curse just might be true.
It seems as though Cubs fans have a perpetual optimism about their team. They could be facing imminent defeat in the bottom of the ninth inning, and still Wrigley Field and the rooftops of apartment complexes overlooking the field will be filled to capacity. Cubs fans wait outside in the freezing cold before the season even starts just for a chance to get a few season tickets - probably not even in seats worth the wait. Yet, like the devoted fans they are, they take the red line religiously to this northern neighborhood to feast on overpriced hotdogs, slightly warm beer and sit on rickety old chairs that have been around since the curse was initiated.
It's suffice to say that Cubs fans are a rare breed - they know the agony of defeat, yet still have complete faith in their team. So often we let defeat overcome us - we give up and simply believe that something can't be accomplished because of what often is only a minor setback. Perhaps if we took a little advice from the example Cub fans set (they are winning the pennant this year, right?), we can better achieve the goals we set for ourselves. And if not, there's always next season... right?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment