Not So Good

I am an avid New York Mets fan. People often ask me how I could possibly follow the Mets since I grew up in Daytona Beach and have no family connections to New York. It's actually a result of us getting the old TV station that played the Mets games out of New York on our television. I started watching in the mid-80's when they were bringing up some great young talent and I haven't abandoned them since. Sadly, there have been many more disappointing seasons than successful ones, but I still follow my team. I have some collectibles in my office and the only sports gear that I wear are Mets hats and t-shirts. Through all the years of poor draft choices, terrible free agent signings, and bad management, I have maintained my allegiance.

I don't know what this says about me as a person, but I think it speaks to my desire to be loyal. I actually believe that we all want to experience loyalty. We want to know that people will stick by us even when we aren't at our best. We want to know that if we are willing to endure rough patches they will do the same in return. It's an affirming principle that strengthens our relationships and reminds us that things get better when we stick together. My loyalty hasn't resulted in better play from my favorite baseball team, but it has helped me in the rest of my relationships.