Living The Dream

Listening to Garin Cecchini get interviewed last night about getting called up to fill Grady Sizemore's slot on the roster.

Said this, mumbled that, said "I'm living the dream."

I loved it. Genuine sentiment regarding a phrase that has been twisted and tortured into a negative commentary on the cruel irony of our lives. The majority of us.

I hear it dozens of times a day. The regulars stroll into the liquor store, I ask "How you doing?" they respond "Living the dream, baby."

Which when translated means "My life sucks, it ain't nuthin' like I thought it would be, I hate my job, I feel trapped, I have no options."

Dark stuff.

I hear it over and over and over again. Of course my practiced response is "Aren't we all."

Meaningless.

The whole exchange bothers me.

Yet you get a young guy called up from AAA for a chance to make his mark in the bigs and he says "Living the dream" because he IS living the dream.

And he knows it.

I loved his comment. I respect the raw talent, I respect the singularly dedicated years of hard work and devotion, I respect the nerves at being on the big stage and the bravado to give it a real shot.

When a guy like that utters those words he restores the true meaning to them. And inspires wonder and hope and magic.

Professional sports give birth to dreams. Some realized, some destroyed. But they offer a real shot at making a dream come true.

No jealousy on my part. These guys earn the opportunity to sync their life with who they are.

Simply, I just loved hearing him say it.

With a gleam in his eye.