It was 10:30 Sunday morning and I was walking through Target on my way home from meeting a friend for breakfast. I wasn’t having the best day, feeling emotional over some things I was dealing with in my life that morning. I made my way through the dog aisle to get treats and was just heading toward the coffee section when I passed a little girl, her mom and her younger brother. My best guess, I would say she was about 5 or 6.
What caught my eye was the pink softball glove she was wearing on her hand, like it was her most prized possession. She couldn’t stop looking at it.
I noticed the little hop in her step too as she ran next to the cart her mom was pushing with her little brother in it.
Then I heard what would linger with me all day…
“If I catch the ball, do I win?”
Her mom said, lovingly and with a smile, “I think you have to do more than just catch the ball in softball to win, sweetie.”
And there it was.
She and I made eye contact across the aisle and in that moment she laughed about the conversation I overheard with her pink glove-toting little girl. I smiled back and I felt my whole body light up as I replied “Thank you, you just made my day… Beautiful, just beautiful.”
And as I turned to move on, my glance lingered back to that pink glove… and in that moment I remembered all that I am and all that I have yet to be.
I saw the glimmer of excitement in that little girl’s eyes in the beauty of her pink glove. I witnessed the beauty of innocence, believing that winning is as simple as catching the ball.
In some ways I think maybe it is… it’s in just beginning. It takes shape in believing.
Winning is the culmination of doing all the little things well… and rejoicing in our little pink gloves.
Because with that hope and excitement of the simplicity of life, we are invincible.
…And makes winners of us all.
