A few days ago, I took two of my grandsons – ages 9 and 6 – to a baseball game. On a hot day we packed up some snacks, mitts and drinks and headed off to the ball park to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers play the Atlanta Braves. I got to spend a few hours of quality time with my grandsons and it was fun chilling out a bit from the stress of the work week. And the kids? They had a blast rooting for their team and just enjoying America’s pastime.

Ballgames get us to relax.  And heaven knows, we all need to relax and chill out these days. Adults are so uptight about politics and news. People argue on social media and shout their opinions to anyone who will listen. These days,  either you’re angry and on the offensive or you’re upset and on the defensive. Either you’re furious with everything Trump does or says or you’re thinking that his critics are too harsh.

And will this tension ever stop? The mental health of our collective society is in jeopardy. Seriously, it should be mandatory for people to go to ballgames regularly. Baseball is America’s pastime and it brings out the best in people.

For our family, baseball  games elicit positive associations of family togetherness.  My husband, a baseball fan since childhood especially enjoys relaxing at the game.

For the past four or five years we’ve taken some of the grandsons. The kids are into it, and my husband enjoys sharing  his love of his childhood pastime with them.

While my husband and I get an outing with the grandchildren full of quality time, their parents get some alone time at home. It’s win-win.

With much of society bickering  and fighting these days about politics, I believe we could  learn a thing or two from baseball fan behaviors. Here they are (in no particular order).

1. NO ONE INSULTS THE HOSTING TEAM:  At our game, Dodgers played the Braves.  Even if you’re a fan of the opposing guest  team you may want your team to win, but you don’t go crazy if they don’t and you certainly don’t start insulting those on the host team.
2. SCREAMING IS OKAY, EVEN EXPECTED: You can scream your lungs out and chant in your loudest voice, and nobody will stop you. How cool is that? Cheering, screaming, booing, yelling are all par for the course. Everyone is chill about it. Nobody gets offended or uptight.
3. NO ONE ACTS LIKE SORE LOSERS: At the end of the game, when the winner is announced, everyone accepts it and heads back to their cars. Yes, they may feel disappointed if their own team didn’t win, and may try to analyze what went wrong, but still they for the most part they rejoice in the winner.
4. RULES ARE FOLLOWED: As much as the atmosphere is light-hearted, the rules of the game are followed to the tee.
5. LIFE SLOWS DOWN FOR A FEW HOURS: Baseball is a slow and almost boring game, but that’s just what makes it so relaxing. You can space out for a few minutes and then get up to speed on what’s happening by looking at the scoreboard or asking your seatmate.
6. NO ONE SHAMES OR BAD MOUTHS THE PLAYERS: You don’t hear people ditching out dirt on the team’s pitcher or batter. People are just nice. No one gets political about baseball. When playing ball, we just play ball

Okay, there are exceptions at times to this good behavior, but for the most part, baseball is a game where everyone is just nice and just chills out.

And there you have it. Six things to learn from baseball fans. Imagine if Democrats and Republicans treated each other the way two opposing fans watching a baseball game treat each other. Imagine that.

Now let’s chill out at the political game …Scream all you want…just no more fighting! And to prove that you’re a real baseball fan – let’s sing the baseball song!

And here’s a song: (to the tune of “Take me out to the ballgame”)

Let’s just chill -let’s not argue

Let’s have fun and not fight

Dems and Repubs let’s have each other’s backs

Hoping the Donald turns Cracker Jack

Try to root root root for the Trump team

Stop all the anger – a shame!

For it’s 1-2-3 and then 4

Years

Until he gives up his game!