We don't know what is going to happen next. Such a tragedy as we have all witnessed and felt has certainly not happened before in my lifetime. We must, as a nation, observe a period of mourning and pull together with our allies to forge on.

Many people feel that organized sports should, as they have, come to a halt. I, however, do not agree with this sentiment. I feel that as soon as the players feel they are ready, they should resume playing. Hopefully sooner than later.

Why do I say such a thing? Baseball has always been something special to me. While others see baseball as just a game, I see it as a pastime, a comfort and distraction in times of trouble. A Baseball game lasts roughly three hours, and moves at such a pace most of the time that you can, if you choose, have plenty of time for relaxation and reflection (introspection).

The day my mother died, I went to a baseball game. I had spent the night at the hospital, mostly crying. When day came, I felt I needed to do what I had already planned. One of the things that my mother and I shared was a love for baseball. I took her to the ballpark in my heart that day. A couple of days later, I found out that someone had been trying to get a hold of me at my grandmother’s house because they wanted to give me some tickets to a baseball game. I think they knew me pretty well! They also knew that sometimes in great tragedy, we need positive distractions.

Let the games begin again. So we can gather together in our hour of need and see that the world still holds some hope.