Hear Our Voice

Dateline: Houston, TX

Indigenous Post Astros Depression or “IPAD” for short is striking a growing number of Houstonians. This is a disease quite different from the “Clutch-City; Choke-City Personality Disorder” that has often led to an overconsumption of ballpark peanuts.  “CCCCPD” causes those infected and often times, those in his/her proximity, to experience a feeling of instability, akin to seasickness.  One affected with this syndrome has trouble rising from the couch when in need of a pit stop, either because he can’t bear to miss the next pitch or because one cannot bear to watch – either way, the sufferer freezes in place, sensing nowhere to turn.  Nonetheless, “CCCCPD” surprises few, and most inoculations develop over time.  Being a Houston sports fan requires an iron constitution. 

“IPAD” is something far more serious and its impact is felt in multiple ways.  For instance, climate satellite photos indicate an unsettling disappearance of orange and blue in our fair city.  “IPAD” is strongly suspected to be the culprit.  A closer look testifies to an almost complete disappearance of the two colors together.  On closer examination, investigations are indicating an ever-growing demand for opaque storage containers for the purpose of packing up Astros gear to store in dark corners of closets alongside long-abandoned Astrodome Lego pieces.  “IPAD” would sound like a joke if it wasn’t so serious.  But the spontaneous eruption of grown men crying everywhere is a phenomenon not to be trifled with!

But seriously…

When I think of the Astros and all the hubbub of late, I think of the second commandment: “Thou shalt not make a graven image of yourself or anything else on earth.”  The second commandment of the “Big Ten” serves as an eternal reminder that idolatry in any of its manifestations, isn’t something to be trifled with.  It may seem that these ancient words are warning us against creating and bowing down to wooden and stone sculptures, but as with the Torah, these words mean so much more. 

This past weekend, two different male friends of mine, separately, unprompted shared versions of the following anecdote with me: “It’s the weekend and we’re running errands or hanging out.  I go to my closet and reach for one of my favorite Astros t-shirts or jerseys and I pause.  I can’t.  I just can’t wear the orange and blue right now.  It makes me sad."  One of them explained that he had to go ahead and pack it all up in a box and shove it towards the back of his closet.  “For now, hopefully, just for now.” 

What do the Astros scandal and the 2^nd commandment have to do with each other? When idols fall from the ever-elevated perches they demand and we oblige, they break our hearts.  And boy were our Astros experiencing a growth spurt.  But that growth spurt wasn’t ONLY about winning the 2017 World Series Championship.  It was that they won it, with smiles and fairness and joy and exuberance on their faces.  Whether fair or unfair, the Astros grew in our admiration because we believed in them.  So much was made of the Astros family – so much was made of their win FOR US – post-Harvey.  So much was made of their camaraderie.  And now they’re making grown men cry. 

Why?  Isn’t it really just a game?  The irony of the 2^nd commandment is that despite its connotations, Jews bow before the Torah, decorate synagogues with art, wear and display and show great respect for Jewish symbols – the 2^nd commandment doesn’t undermine our ability to invest meaningfully in these ways.  But the 2^nd commandment does remind us that at the end of the day, the symbols are just projections and our heroes are just people.  We don’t want them to be “just” people.  But they are.  And now the task is to mourn what we have lost.  To retell the stories, both the beautiful and the ugly, and to then stay open to the next time we will fall in love again.  This is perhaps the only inoculation against heart break – to let the fissures heal enough to be willing to love once more.