The Big Baseball Game
by Connie Baxter Marlow
Once, when the world was young, all the people – the 4-legged people, the winged people, the crawling ones, the finned ones and the two-legged people played the game of life together joyfully. Each played a special part in the game and everything was in perfect balance. They played like this for thousands of years until one day many of the two-legged ones discovered they were different from the other creatures and decided not to play with everyone else any more. They decided to start their own game. They discovered that they could think and manipulate things – so they designed a game where they could use their brain power and manipulate the world to their advantage.
They called the new game baseball, and they walked away from the Coach of the Universal Game and came up with rules that would serve them better than the Universal Laws that governed the game that the rest of Creation was playing.
In this new game, it would be each person for himself. Everyone would choose a position. There would be pitchers, catchers, basemen, outfielders, batters and umpires. They decided that instead of everyone benefiting from the game equally, there would be winners and losers. The winners would be the ones who scored the most runs, and for every run they would get a prize, and the losers would usually get a little something, just for playing the game. This, they figured would keep everyone interested in playing this new game.
The two-leggeds played this game for thousands of years. When new two-legged were born they came into the world expecting to play the game with the rest of Creation, but their mothers and fathers would begin at birth to teach them the rules of the baseball game. Survival being of utmost importance to all creatures, the little two-leggeds quickly learned the rules, and took their positions.
This baseball game became very intense. The two-leggeds were really into it. They pitched, caught, batted, ran and collected their prizes when they won and felt sorry for themselves when they lost. They started to lose players. Injuries and disease began to take their toll. These two-leggeds forgot what it was like when they were one with the rest of Creation. They forgot that everything that they ever wanted or needed had just come to them automatically, without worrying or thinking about it, in a joyful way.
So, on they played, and they became dependent upon their special brain power. This game of baseball didn’t comply with the Universal Laws that came naturally; so they had all they could do to keep on top of all the rules and plays. When they weren’t actually playing ball they were busy re-arranging, caring for and repairing the stuff they had accumulated.
Then, one day, one of the two-leggeds who was out of the game due to an injury happened to notice the rest of Creation through the wire mesh of the baseball field fence. He thought that since he couldn’t play baseball, he’d go check out what was going on amongst the four-legged, finned and winged ones.
What he discovered was that everything outside the field was moving in perfect harmony, without the frantic feeling of the baseball game. He sat in peace looking back through the fence wondering what made the two-leggeds think that all that frenzy was so much fun. He noticed that even the winners didn’t look like winning the game was so great.
He started to ask himself how the two-leggeds could regain the joy, balance and abundance that the rest of Creation enjoyed. And to his surprise an answer came. A voice spoke to him, not one he could hear with his ears, but still, a voice, and the voice told him:
“You two-leggeds were right. You are very special and very different from the rest of Creation, but not separate from it. You thought you could walk away from the Universal Game and make up your own rules and play this game alone, but as each of you gets hurt or sick and has a moment to reflect and remember, you know somewhere in your hears that playing the game with all of Creation was more satisfying. I am going to remind you of the rules of the Universal Game and perhaps you can apply them to your baseball game and you will regain your connection to the whole.”
“First of all: You will all continue to play the same positions, only your purpose will be different. You will not be playing simply to further your own interests, you will be contributing to the whole with everything you do.”
“Secondly: Everyone will always win. There will only be winners, no losers.”
“Thirdly: The position of umpire will be eliminated. There will be no such thing as a foul ball or error. Every action will contribute to the successful outcome of the game. There will be no judgment or blame.”
“Fourth: You must rehire the coach. You will not be able to see or talk with Him/Her directly. This Coach will be the only one who can see the full scope of the game and He/She will call all the plays. You must trust Him/Her. and the only way you will hear what you are to do is to listen to your own inner promptings. You must trust yourself, your own knowing and that is how the coach will communicate with you and tell you your next move.”
“Fifth: Circumstance will direct you.
“Now go back to your fellow two-leggeds and tell them what you have discovered, see if they are ready to play their game of baseball by the Universal Laws I have shared with you. If they are, they must leave all the old rules behind and everyone, absolutely everyone, who wants to play the Universal Baseball Game must understand the five conditions I have presented to you.”
The injured player went back to the field and tried to get the attention of his fellow two-leggeds. But they were too busy. Some glanced his way, but most played on, heedless of the crazy lame one who was trying to be heard over the din.
A few heard, and they were overjoyed. They weren’t having any fun anyway. All the promises of what the prizes would bring them were empty. They didn’t bring any joy, just stuff, useless stuff.
Little by little, more and more two-leggeds heard what the injured one was saying and they were relieved. But, they wanted to be sure of one thing, was the umpire position truly eliminated? The one who was judging and blaming everyone, would he really have no place in the new game?
“But what about our brains?” many of them asked. “If we’re taking orders from the coach through our inner knowing, what do we have these incredible minds for?”
“For the betterment of all Creation,” a voice answered.
The Beginning.
Connie Baxter Marlow 1991
Snowmass, Colorado