Father Joe was wrong. Man, I hope that doesn't get me in any trouble. In his homily at the 10:30am Mass yesterday our Pastor at St. Christopher's Church in Somerton said that he hated the phrase "It is what it is." When the words came out of his mouth they hit close to home because I use that phrase all the time. But as he went on to explain his opposition to the sudden popular usage of this phrase, I came to realize that there has obviously been a misunderstanding in either his interpretation or the use by some of the phrase. Father Joe was making the point that the phrase lent itself to our having to accept certain situations when in fact those situations were indeed subject to change if we just wanted it bad enough and worked towards such change. For instance, the statement "I am an alcoholic, and that isn't going to change. It is what it is." Now we all know that the alcoholic can indeed make a change in his or her life. Buying that bottle is a choice. Drinking the bottle is another choice. Change our choices, we change our lives. Under these types of conditions "It is what it is" just doesn't hold water, and that is what Father Joe was pointing out. No one says it will be easy, but we can accomplish change if we really want it bad enough and are willing to dedicate ourselves to it. However, anyone who would use the phrase in that manner would, in my opinion, be using it improperly as a copout or a crutch. That is not the proper use of the phrase, and when examined in its proper usage even Father Joe should change his opinion and embrace the phrase. When I use the phrase, I take it as a modern shortening of the old idea "Don't cry over spilt milk." The phrase "It is what it is" is meant to address events, activities, situations that have occurred in the past, whether a decade ago, a year ago, yesterday, or even just a moment ago. It is about getting past situations that in fact we simply cannot change. Dinner is about to be served. The food is on the table. The only bottle of juice is carried towards the table, but is dropped before reaching the family. The bottle shatters, and all of the juice spills out onto the floor. There is no more juice, and aside from tap water there is nothing else to drink in the house. Here is what will happen: you will clean up the mess, and move on to dinner. Folks will make due with water, or they will have nothing to drink. It is what it is. Period. Now some would say that you could run out to the store to get more. Ridiculous. Dinner is served, the food is warm on the table, the family is ready to eat. In the vast majority of cases, going to the store is going to require time way from the meal that you just don't have on a practical level. You move on without crying or whining about something that is in the past and that you cannot change. It is what it is. You are a New York Giants fan this morning. The Philadelphia Eagles have just knocked your team out of the playoffs despite the fact that you were the defending Super Bowl champions, won the NFC East title, and after you had the best regular season record in the league. You can cry, you can curse, you can call for the head of the coach. But the fact is that they lost, you have to live with it. You're not going to kill yourself. You're not going to quit your job and become a hermit. It is what it is. That is the true nature of the statement. It is a positive, not a negative. It is not meant to be a copout, it is meant as a rallying cry for folks not to let a situation beyond their control, or a situation that is over and cannot be reversed, knock them down and keep them down. "It is what it is" means deal with it, get over it, learn from it perhaps, and move on from it. I believe that Father Joe is wrong to hate the statement, although I give him props for hating the attitude that allows someone to wallow in a misery that may often be of their own creation, and that they can indeed change if they want it bad enough.
Showing posts with label New York Giants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Giants. Show all posts
Monday, January 12, 2009
It Is What It Is
Father Joe was wrong. Man, I hope that doesn't get me in any trouble. In his homily at the 10:30am Mass yesterday our Pastor at St. Christopher's Church in Somerton said that he hated the phrase "It is what it is." When the words came out of his mouth they hit close to home because I use that phrase all the time. But as he went on to explain his opposition to the sudden popular usage of this phrase, I came to realize that there has obviously been a misunderstanding in either his interpretation or the use by some of the phrase. Father Joe was making the point that the phrase lent itself to our having to accept certain situations when in fact those situations were indeed subject to change if we just wanted it bad enough and worked towards such change. For instance, the statement "I am an alcoholic, and that isn't going to change. It is what it is." Now we all know that the alcoholic can indeed make a change in his or her life. Buying that bottle is a choice. Drinking the bottle is another choice. Change our choices, we change our lives. Under these types of conditions "It is what it is" just doesn't hold water, and that is what Father Joe was pointing out. No one says it will be easy, but we can accomplish change if we really want it bad enough and are willing to dedicate ourselves to it. However, anyone who would use the phrase in that manner would, in my opinion, be using it improperly as a copout or a crutch. That is not the proper use of the phrase, and when examined in its proper usage even Father Joe should change his opinion and embrace the phrase. When I use the phrase, I take it as a modern shortening of the old idea "Don't cry over spilt milk." The phrase "It is what it is" is meant to address events, activities, situations that have occurred in the past, whether a decade ago, a year ago, yesterday, or even just a moment ago. It is about getting past situations that in fact we simply cannot change. Dinner is about to be served. The food is on the table. The only bottle of juice is carried towards the table, but is dropped before reaching the family. The bottle shatters, and all of the juice spills out onto the floor. There is no more juice, and aside from tap water there is nothing else to drink in the house. Here is what will happen: you will clean up the mess, and move on to dinner. Folks will make due with water, or they will have nothing to drink. It is what it is. Period. Now some would say that you could run out to the store to get more. Ridiculous. Dinner is served, the food is warm on the table, the family is ready to eat. In the vast majority of cases, going to the store is going to require time way from the meal that you just don't have on a practical level. You move on without crying or whining about something that is in the past and that you cannot change. It is what it is. You are a New York Giants fan this morning. The Philadelphia Eagles have just knocked your team out of the playoffs despite the fact that you were the defending Super Bowl champions, won the NFC East title, and after you had the best regular season record in the league. You can cry, you can curse, you can call for the head of the coach. But the fact is that they lost, you have to live with it. You're not going to kill yourself. You're not going to quit your job and become a hermit. It is what it is. That is the true nature of the statement. It is a positive, not a negative. It is not meant to be a copout, it is meant as a rallying cry for folks not to let a situation beyond their control, or a situation that is over and cannot be reversed, knock them down and keep them down. "It is what it is" means deal with it, get over it, learn from it perhaps, and move on from it. I believe that Father Joe is wrong to hate the statement, although I give him props for hating the attitude that allows someone to wallow in a misery that may often be of their own creation, and that they can indeed change if they want it bad enough.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The House That Ruth Built
Baseball's most storied playing grounds, Yankee Stadium in New York, played host to one of baseball's premier events last night as the stars shined for MLB's annual All-Star game extravaganza. The game was awarded to the Big Apple to honor the grand old ball yard in its final season. It is slated for demolition this winter, to be replaced by the New Yankee Stadium. The stadium was nicknamed "The House That Ruth Built" because it literally was just that. Early in their history, the New York Yankees played their games at The Polo Grounds, a park that was the real home of the New York Giants ball club. The Giants threatened to evict the Yanks, so the club ownership purchased a plot of land in the Bronx and built the most magnificent facility of it's kind at the time. Ruth had been baseball's biggest star as a pitcher and hitter for the Boston Red Sox, who sold him to the Yankees while he was still a young player. Yankee Stadium opened its doors for the 1923 season, and Ruth christened it by hitting the first home run there. The stadium's signature feature was a white frieze or facade that runs all along the top of the outfield, and following various renovations over the years at least part of the frieze was always maintained. The New Yankee Stadium will incorporate one as well as a homage. The stadium has played host to 37 World Series over the years, with the Yanks clinching wins in 16 of those series at the stadium, the most recent back in 1999. Beginning in the 1951 season, Bob Sheppard became the public address announcer, and still serves in that role, though he has appeared less frequently as he battles illness associated with old age the past couple seasons. Sheppard's booming voice over the loud speakers became affectionately known as "The Voice of God". Yankee Stadium has played host to numerous events besides baseball. In December 1958, what has become known as 'The Greatest Game Ever Played' in the NFL took place there as the Johnny Unitas-led Baltimore Colts rallied to dramatically defeat the New York Giants 23-17 for the world championship. Legendary college football coach Knute Rockne gave his famous "win one for The Gipper" speech at halftime of a 1928 game to his Notre Dame charges, who went on to down Army 12-6. One of the most important boxing matches ever took place there in 1938 when black American Joe Louis fought Max Schmeling, a German from Hitler's Nazi-era machine. Schmeling had beaten Louis 2 years earlier, and there was a highly charged political climate to the fight as Louis knocked the German out in the first round. Louis fought there 8 times, and Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson also won there. In last night's All-Star finale at the stadium, the stars didn't seem to want to say goodbye. The game dragged in to the 15th inning with numerous tremendous defensive plays before the AL won on a sacrifice fly. J.D. Drew of the hated Red Sox proved to be the MVP in one final twist of irony. The House That Ruth Built is closing down in a few months, but it will be forever remembered, and last night's MLB All-Star classic was just one of many unforgettable events there.
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