Day Forty - Thank You Big Papi!

Tonight is a sad night for me.  Just a few hours ago David Ortiz, better known as "Big Papi", played his final game of baseball.  For those of you who do not know, I am a big Red Sox fan.  I think I started following them back when my oldest brother was living up in Boston.  Living in KY and not really being a Cincinnati Reds or a very big Atlanta Braves fan, I was happy to be a Red Sox fan.  This went all through high school, and has lasted now for about fifteen seasons.  I can still remember Papi shocking the Yankees in Game 4 in 2004.  I remember watching him play live in 2009.  I remember hearing his passionate (but profane) speech after the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2013 and then leading them to be the 2013 World Series Champions.  He is one of my favorite players, and now his journey is over.

As a kid, I idolized Michael Jordan.  I remember all I wanted to do was watch him play in person.  When he retired, even as a kid I was heartbroken, but glad to see him go out on top with his sixth NBA Title (well, at least the first time).  Then there was Peyton Manning.  A brilliant quarterback who was also a class act (and very funny in commercials).  I remember his brilliant comebacks and thrilling "2-minute" drives.  When he retired this past year, I was so happy to watch him go out on top with his second Super Bowl win.  Tonight was hard.  Papi didn't get to go out on top.  After a promising finish in the regular season the Sox were set for a World Series run.  Unfortunately it did not work out that way with Cleveland sweeping them three games to zero.  Tonight a brilliant, Hall of Fame career, has come to a close.

So what does this have to do with my journey?  What do men like Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, and David Ortiz have to do with me.  Well, I don't just write about them for sentimental reasons.  Yes, I was sad to see Big Papi finish tonight (although it was E's voice that broke when I told her we wouldn't get to watch him play anymore).  Yes, watching the Red Sox without him will never be the same.  Just like watching the Bulls and the Broncos (and Colts) isn't the same.  But one thing that I can glean from these men is that they finished their journey.  They stayed focused, and because of that they met their goals.  Striving for a goal requires consistency.  If you look at the career stats of each of these Superstar athletes, you will find exactly that.  I have to use the same consistency each and every day.  My calorie intake needs to be consistent as well as my exercise.  I have to use the same methods to control and fight cravings.  I have to stick with my ProBio5 and Bio Cleanse.  I have to remain consistent.  So while I am saddened by the end of an amazing career, I can say thank you to him.  Thank you, Papi, for the deep home runs, the three World Series, and the contagious smile.  Thank you for helping me stay focused on my goal to lose my butter half.

So calories were within the daily goal, and I put my time in on the bike.  However, I feel that my choices and too many calories after dinner weren't best.