Boys of Summer

I love music. As I’m sure many of you can agree, there are poignant moments in our lives when we can not only remember what was happening, but also be able to put a song to it.

Case in point, 1988 NLCS. Mets vs. Dodgers. The two teams traded punches back and forth until Game 7 when the Orel Hershiser led Dodgers shutout the Mets 6-0 and ended the Mets season. I can remember waking up for school the next day, listening to WSUL and the DJ dedicating Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” to distraught Mets fans.

I can honestly say that today, I’m not as depressed as I was that cold October morning. Though 20+ years later I find myself in a similar spot. Our beloved Mets have had two straight seasons that have ended “badly” to say the least. I can honestly say that I’ve moved on from that and I’m ready for pitchers and catchers to report. I think as a baseball fan in general, moving on prepares us for the hope each Spring Training brings. After all, everyone is undefeated in February.

This winter has been a long one. I miss the smell of fresh cut grass and BBQ hot dogs and burgers and the sound of bats cracking and leather poppin’. The sound of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” haunting and teasing me at the same time while it blares from the radio…

“…a voice inside my head said don’t look back, you can never look back.”

How true. The past is just that, PAST.

I’m ready to look toward the future. Spring will soon be here and it will be time for new memories…and new music.