Life is changing for me due to a significant health issue that was identified this past week. This poem written today (November 2, 2024) speaks to how life is very much like a knuckleball that has lots of unknowns and much that is unpredictable. And yet, living that life is very much then about one’s perspective and how one reacts.
Have you ever set yourself up
Ready to hit that ball coming over the plate
Thinking it’s going to be down the middle
And with a swing, it’ll go long and straight
You’ve been practicing and hitting the ball well
Your swing is smooth and without a hitch
With all the hard work and how you feel
You are confident you can hit any pitch
You get the bat ready as you tense your arms
And you see the ball leave the pitcher’s hand
Then the ball flutters; dancing before your eyes
This is nothing like you’ve ever planned
You’ve hit curveballs for they’re common
And hit change-ups as you adjust your swing
But this is unknown as its’ flight is strange
It’s like the pitcher’s pulling the ball on a string
This must be the knuckleball of which you’ve heard
Erratic in flight; its’ destination unknown
Patience is key as you relax just a little
You see the ball flatten; it’s in your zone
If you miss, it’s simply a strike
And in that second, you’re on your game
You’re ready to go and the bat starts to move
A swing with confidence; it’s all the same
A knuckle is like life with its’ ups and downs
A ball that when thrown goes against the flow
To hit that ball, one prepares and gets ready
You may hit or miss; but no matter, you’ll grow
To hit a knuckle, you’ve got to let go
To prepare for what’s beyond what you control
To respond in life to what you did not expect
Be who you are and know what’s in your soul