I have an amazing opportunity. With the rain-out last night all the Royal’s ALCS games are pushed back one day. This means a friend has an extra ticket for Game 5 (one in his group can’t attend the game now on Thursday). Plus the offer came for just face value. I was excited – first asking Meg to spend the still large face value – then smiling…

…until I realized the dilemma. My friend asked me to go if they play Thursday. If. For Thursday’s game to happen the Royals have to lose today or tomorrow’s game.

Should I take off my “crocs with socks”? ¹

Selfishness divides my desires. Beyond baseball, I start to see life in terms of what I deserve. It can be hard to celebrate success of another (especially if my own efforts seem to be declining). At the worst, I start to root for others to lose. Yet life is a gift. My neighbor is a gift. I should root for them.

This Royals season, especially, is a gift. After all, a sweep means the Royals are going to the World Series! So I will root for the team to win both games… but I will have something to smile about if they happen to lose one.

 ¹ Meg left Royals Crocs on my pillow on Friday. A much better gift than a chocolate. The weather is turning cool, so I had to break fashion rules and wear the Crocs with socks. Needless to say, the Royals can’t stop winning. So I have worn my Crocs with socks at every opportunity. Sunday I even wore them while preaching and they became a fun sermon illustration (most of the congregation has grown used to their kooky pastor).

Update: With my Crocs and Socks still on my feet the Royals never looked back. They swept the Baltimore Orioles and my ticket to Game 5 was caught up into the dust pan too. BUT, the Royals won the pennant and are headed to slay Giants in the World Series!