By Glenn Dromgoole

(This is the first of three excerpts from the book Parables from the Diamond that I co-authored with Phil Christopher, published in 2009 and now out of print.)

The ball is hit to deep right-center field. The centerfielder takes off at the crack of the bat, straining every muscle as he attempts to make a spectacular catch and turn a sure double into an out.

It is not surprising at that particular moment that the centerfielder doesn’t pause to ponder one of life’s maxims: Whatever we do, we should be sure to enjoy the chase. The most important thing on his mind is to try his best to make the catch.

And, yet, it’s not always the end result that is most important in our lives. It’s the process by which we get there. If all we live for is the catch – the end result – we may well find ourselves disappointed that we haven’t achieved that ultimate, elusive goal. 

We haven’t made it to the top of the ladder. We haven’t received the acclaim to which we felt we were entitled. We haven’t accumulated as much money or driven as nice a car or lived in as glamorous a home as we had hoped. 

If we have enjoyed the chase, however, those things seem less important. If we have enjoyed the chase, we have taken time to make friends, we have spent time with our children, we have savored the wondrous beauty around us, we have been grateful for the many gifts and blessings which we have received. 

There are hectic times in our lives when, like the centerfielder, we are too busy running after a fly ball to stop and enjoy the chase. But if that becomes the pattern throughout our lives, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate our priorities.

Glenn Dromgoole is the author of 35 books. He and his wife, Carol, own Texas Star Trading Company.