Happiness at Third Base

After enjoying the gastronomical beauty created within the Dutch Oven I promptly proclaimed it “the Red Pot of Goodness” and proudly completed a digital chest pounding and notified the world via Facebook. Yes, there is good in this world and I possess at least a small portion of it in within the confines of the iron and enamel pot.  Now that I have definitive proof of goodness, (punt alert), the Proof is in the Pot, I’m forced to reckon with evil.  Good Evil, Yin Yang, Gravity and Lift, each elemental force has an equal opposite. Newton had it right and like a good scientist I need to follow the theory until something better comes along. 

Tonight, a few bourbons under my belt it occurs to me that good and evil form two of the Kingdoms’ of being, and like the tree of life, within those Kingdoms’ further classification is possible….

Phylum of Evil

True Evil…..Darth Vader, History Term Papers, 3^rd Grade English Class, 7^th Grade Formal Dances, People who microwave fish at work, (Insert Favorite/Least Favorite, anti deity here)

Pervasive Evil: The high pitched whining sound made by my rental car for my latest 300 mile drive, Mariah Carry Singles, Uncompromising politicians, Artificial Strawberry Scent.

Transient Evil: Stuff the Networks uses for “slow” news days, my most recent favorite Nutella…Who knew that chocolate, milk, fat, and whatever else mixed into a spread is just the same as a candy bar? Duh! Gasp! Shocker! (There is future blog fodder in this for sure). Evil today, and good tomorrow.  Eggs suffered this fate, Teflon pans will, gonna go out on a limb and say teeth bleaching is next on the “Evil for a Day” rotation. Oddly sensational news which is perhaps the most evil of the transient evils will never report on itself.  Yes you Barbara Walter’s and the well timed tear, or you Weather Channel guy standing in the storm surge. Ted Koppel? Don’t get me started…..

Resident Evil: Yes it was good, and who doesn’t like Mila, but really, it’s starting to get old.

The evils in life surround us, especially those of us who fall just shy of “crazy” on the Skepticism /Paranoia continuum.  Evil is easy to find, and since we all have a bit of self preservation lurking in our primal beings we all or a bit more keen on finding Evil than finding good.  This is why the 10PM news is full of felons and fire rather than births and graduations…..Evil keeps us stuck to our seat and sells air time……which is how I know that Barbara Walters well timed tear is evil.

Recently I found good on my sons Little league ball field, specifically at the third base coach position.  The game is “coach pitch” and its great food for the soul. This is not a team competition, it’s a competition within each kid, they want to hit the ball, run fast, catch the ball, and make it through the three innings until the snack is provided.  From third base you can see it all, the joy and surprise when the bat hits the ball, the sheer determination as the kids run full out to first base, pride beaming as they High 5 the 1^st base coach and eye up the run to second.  At second base they relax and enjoy life, chew on a finger, or make weird kid noises…..But on the run to third base they light up, home is just around the corner and the pressure is off.  It is here where the kids display their artistic gymnastic abilities.  They skip, hop, bounce, ninja kick, sashay, wander, spin, and roll to third base.  I love it.  Sure it’s not “real” baseball, but it’s not supposed to be, the kids don’t care.  From the Third Base Coach perspective, it’s a cute parade of bobble headed kids grooving to a beat only they can hear.  Evil doesn’t have a chance in this arena. 

The point here is when you find good grab it, enjoy it.  I believe we are all born with an ability to seek good, we can see it in our children’s face, they know how much fun mud is, we just see the laundry or the stains on the carpet. We are trained to be cautious, jaded by life and bad drivers which keeps us alive but missing out on life……keep your eyes open, you will be surprised with what you find. 

Meanwhile anyone else have a Evil Phylum to add?