Longevity
Inevitably
Gives
Character.

Because I have had nothing, I am generous.
Because I have been mistreated, I am kind.
Because I have been lied to, I am honest.
Because I have been foolish, I am wise.
Because I have been hurt, I am happy.
Because I have made mistakes, I have succeeded.

Because I have endured, I am strong. ♥

Ozzie Smith, Yazstremski,

Dave Stieb and Robin Yount

these men were of a special group

It's one I'm proud to count

There's players who achieve a goal

While others just achieve

They set a standard for the rest

In their heart they just believe

The game is full of heroes

Men depended on each game

They all have certain attributes

And we all know them by name

Kaline, Ripken, and Wade Boggs

The Carters, Joe and Gary

They're men who inspire us

They have a reputation tough to carry

To be a man of character

You must be better than the rest

You have to be a leader

If you ***** up, you must confess

Baseball doesn't make you one

For character's within

You just learn how to channel it

Bring it out from where it's been

Now, Cobb, Ruth and McLain

Were characters as well

But, not the kind of characters

That we are here to tell

They had a reputation

One that is not lost upon the game

But, to say that they had character

Then you would not speak their names

Tom Seaver and Clemente

Thurmon Munson, Sparky too

Were men who set examples

Of exactly what to do

To build a reputation

One that shows character and heart

Is something time consuming

It's built of many parts

To do the right thing once

Is not the thing I want to see

But to do it right consistently

That defines character to me

There are so many examples

Of players in this group

But there are ten times as many

Who miss the homer with a bloop

Baseball brings it out in you

It doesn't put it there

You show what you are made of

By definition....to be fair

Williams, Maris, Dimaggio

Robinsons, Jackie and Frank

They played with an integrity

You could take it to the bank

If you want to be a winner

Please do this if you can

Be a man of character

Not a character of a man.
..

You're my soulmate, it doesn't mean that we're lovers, it doesn't mean we're family, it means we complete each other
If the other stuff comes true, it's part of what's due, truthfully I don't mind being apart of you
Not all consuming your heart, just a branch, or a twig, maybe even some leaves or bark
It's a start, and that's all I need, I've long been dispelled by notions of greed to feed me
Sit down and eat with me and I'll laugh with you, take a part of my soul, and I'll take part of you
Even if it's a simple image on my screen, it's the picture of you, which fills up my dreams
I'm an open canister, and you're my lovely banner, never tempered by tantrums
You hold my heart ransom, in the light with my soul, never give me up for some silver or gold
Likewise I carry your heart in tow, I own the greatest prize, so what the hell is silver and gold?

The beginning was suspenceful
The middle was too
But in the end, I saw
The story was all about you.

I couldn't escape reality
And reality kind of hurt
You were every character, every symbol
The high mountain and desert.

I wanted to run, to hide
But you met me there
I tried drowning in the depths
But it just wasn't fair.

I think the reason for this accost
Lies within my mind
That's where it all began, and someday
It'll be what is behind.

Do you ever change your character?
Do you ever change when you talk or listen?
I have. I do.
I change every time I interact.
I don't know who I am.
I can't even control it.
I'm influenced too easily.
I have to talk to same way as them.
I have to laugh, hear, smell, breath, THINK the same way.
I have no true character.
I change too much.
I'm a splatter paint picture of a character.
But none of the paint shows my true colors.

I like to play RPGs
It's a world that is unlike my own
and I'm a character I've named myself.
Sometimes I save my progress
on a file- safe and undisturbed-
and then I wreak havoc,
make friends I wouldn't make,
experiment for potential easter eggs.
It feels good to know I can just go back
to where I started
unfazed, undamaged, unharmed.
And if I ever do something substantial
in my free-for-all joyride of side quest,
I can always save it to another file.
There are so many memory cards in my drawer.

I find myself living life this way-
but with empty drawers
and only one disturbed file.
of only one fazed, damaged, harmed, character,
that my brother named when I was a baby,
in a world that I don't like too much.
And everyone tells me it's a game-
that we all put our hours in.
I just see the option
of a never-ending boss battle with loneliness,
or a never-ending side quest with friends,
and too much damage done,
so where better to let my thumbs rest?