“What Dreams Are You Fielding?”

Some Things Never Change

Twenty-five years later, I reacted the same way.

To mark its 25^th anniversary, my wife and I watched “Field of Dreams” on Turner Classic Movies. At the end, Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) recognizes that one of the ball players who shows up from the past is his father as a young man. Ray introduces his dad to his wife and daughter, then asks him to play catch.

As father and son throw the baseball on the field of dreams, the impact hit me just as hard as it did in the theater in 1989.

It’s More Than Playing Catch

I thought about this Sunday evening as my daughter and I sat out front reading. The family across the street had just returned from vacation and the father was exhausted from driving. Around 8:30, his son begged to play catch.

How many dads would have said no?

Illuminated by twilight's last rays, father and son threw the baseball. At 9:00 when it was too dark to read outside, the ball continued to thud in their gloves. When that boy grows up, I hope he remembers his father’s gift.

My dad gave me a similar gift once. We played catch many times, but one weekend afternoon, my tired father wanted to lie on the couch and watch the Braves on TV. Yet when I begged him to throw the ball with me, Dad took me to a nearby field.

Inspiring Joy and Sorrow

“Field of Dreams” still tugs on my heart. Watching Ray and his dad play catch reminds me of that day 40 years ago when my father showed me how important I was to him. Of all the times we threw a baseball, that memory is my favorite.

I also grieve for those fathers and sons who never had that blessing together. 

Field can mean “to take care of or respond to.” What dreams are you fielding?

David