The amber glow of incandescent lights warmed the wall at which I gazed as I sat to write down this piece. I’ve obtained Mary Lou Williams taking part in within the background – jazz is one thing I solely hearken to this time of 12 months. – however I can’t consider a greater accompaniment than her music as I attempt to create an ambiance; attempt to set the temper.
I used to be pondering earlier this month about when precisely I began scripting this editorial. That is the fourth 12 months it’s been printed right here at Battery Energy, however I’ve been writing it since someday round 2002 as a nod to the long-time Atlanta sports activities author and editor Furman Bisher whose Thanksgiving Day column was a must-read for generations.
Thanksgiving, that magical vacation of casseroles and prolonged household, brings with it the anticipation of the vacation season and the brand new 12 months there after.
However first, the here-and-now and just-was.
As I’ve executed in years prior, in case you’d wish to soundtrack this text, right here is one in all my favourite songs of the 12 months Magdalena Bay “Picture” which you’ll be able to watch/hearken to on YouTube. Or if you would like one thing a bit of extra melancholy, Kacey Musgraves “Deeper Effectively” could be a greater possibility. Or, you’ll be able to try the brand new tune by TV On The Radio’s lead singer Tunde Adebimpe known as “Magnetic” which is kind of good.
Fall is my season. Possibly it’s yours, too. Annually I sit up for it more-and-more. I attempt to soak in every cool breeze, each tree whose leaves canvas the horizon after which the bottom with a pallet of colours, heat and cheerful. I attempt to make time to hearken to the sound of the leaves, first because the breeze passes via them as they dry on the branches after which as they meander their method from sky to floor on the best way to giving crunch-filled ASMR as ft, large and small, frolic on nature’s blanket.
However most of all, Fall is the time when I attempt to be grateful.
Once I was youthful, I took a lot without any consideration. Did you do this, too? Again then, there was all the time a subsequent time or the carelessness that comes with unfettered, unaware youthful proclivities.
Now I attempt to be conscious and grateful of every day – whether or not it’s the fourth Thursday in November or not. Like most every little thing else in life, it’s a stability. You may’t spend your entire life reflecting on it. You must reside life, too.
As is custom for me – and lately, right here – I wish to take time to be grateful with all of you on the Atlanta Braves, this 12 months and life itself.
Photograph by Todd Kirkland/MLB Images by way of Getty Photographs
Right here’s to a different 12 months of being grateful. Even this 12 months, the side-eye worthy 2024.
October and November have been sizzling and dry and that saved on the ability invoice. I’m grateful for that, even when I’d wish to have seen frost come a number of weeks earlier than it did.
I’m grateful for the instances once I could make somebody snort – even after they don’t wish to – and I’ll act the idiot to take action.
I’m grateful for Chris Sale and his magical season. Cy Younger? Good for him, it was lengthy over due, however one thing I don’t suppose anybody thought was lifelike 9 months in the past. I’m undecided a beginning pitcher had extra of a stunning season with Atlanta after coming over in a commerce since perhaps Russ Ortiz.
I’m grateful for these two weeks earlier than the tip of the common season when the Braves clawed their method into the playoffs.
I’m grateful for constructive surprises, on the sphere, or off.
Campy, old skool wrestling matches that observe the essential method of unhealthy man “boo” and good man “hooray” are enjoyable extra instances than they aren’t. I’m grateful for that.
I wrote a letter to Santa this 12 months. It’s the primary one I’d ever written. You’re by no means too outdated to imagine. For those who suppose you might be, you aren’t.
I’m grateful for rizz.
I’m grateful for skibiti.
However I’m positive glad I’m not skibilit bathroom phenom tax rizz. Or perhaps I’m and I’m too outdated to understand it.
I’m grateful for youths who imagine in you virtually as a lot as you imagine in them.
It was an excellent 12 months in music, one thing that I’m all the time grateful for.
Take pleasure in what you get pleasure from and also you don’t have to apologize for that. Chappell Roan, right here’s to you.
Amongst these artist with new albums which have come out this 12 months that I’ve been capable of get pleasure from, fortunately, are Fontaines D.C., André 3000, Suki Waterhouse, Momma, The Treatment, Kendrick Lamar, Magdalena Bay, Dehd, Father John Misty, Kacey Musgraves, DIIV, and plenty of, many extra.
Yearly I’m grateful for cornbread constituted of stone-ground corn and cooked in forged iron, the one method it ought to ever be cooked. Don’t you dare put sugar in my cornbread, or we may have phrases.
I haven’t had near-enough home made biscuits this 12 months. My waistline is grateful for that however I, personally, am not.
The autumn foliage made up for a sluggish begin with an epic marathon – the final couple of weeks of the season actually amped up with yellows and oranges seeming extra rampant this season. Good job to all the varied gums, I observed you lastly determined to show-up and show-out together with your reds and purples.
Right here’s to the hickory timber who did plenty of the work late and for the maples who’re all the time the belle of the ball. It has been method too lengthy since I’ve had hickory nut cookies, although.
I’m grateful for Gio Urshela and Whit Merrifield for retaining the Braves afloat down the stretch. There aren’t any odds too lengthy for the possibility of that sentence being written any time by anybody ever, till September of this 12 months.
It was a troublesome season for many to the regulars in Atlanta’s lineup, as everyone knows. That makes one admire Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna just a bit bit extra since they each performed in all 162.
I’m starting to fret we could not see 155+ video games from each Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña, Jr. in the identical season once more – not less than not with Atlanta.
I’m grateful back-handed grounders, fielded cleanly, and outfielders making snowcone catches.
I’m grateful for reinvention.
I’m grateful for perseverance.
I’m grateful once I order a sandwich and get each a prime and backside bun. Don’t snort, I did not get each earlier this week.
I’m grateful for not having hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. I do need to make an effort to do higher about utilizing 50 cents phrases once I write, nonetheless.
I don’t like too many sunny days nor too many cloudy days in a row. Stability, don’t you recognize.
I nonetheless get pleasure from my espresso. However I’m grateful once I make a cup and it tastes additional scrumptious. Effectively, as scrumptious as espresso can precise style. That appears to occur much less as of late. I feel it’s me and never a budget espresso of which I partake.
I’m grateful for worth. I’m extra grateful for high quality. Each appear to be in brief provide.
I’m grateful to the grinders.
Talking of grinders, I’m grateful for freshly floor black pepper. And Confidence Man.
I’m grateful that I can be grateful for the small issues in life. I really feel unhealthy for individuals who can’t.
I’m grateful for the historic occasions the grand outdated sport had this season.
The 2024 Braves season was in all probability probably the most irritating in not less than a decade, primarily based on expectations. With every passing 12 months, the priority that the window for championship rivalry is closing will get stronger. It’s onerous to not surprise when the phrase “rebuild” begins to enter the lexicon of prognostication in Atlanta’s baseball universe.
Fortunately, we aren’t there simply but. In any other case, I’d take myself by the collar and change into a defenestration practitioner.
I’m grateful that the modifications made the the Braves tv broadcast crew within the final couple of years have been a web constructive.
I nonetheless get pleasure from listening to baseball on the radio, even when I don’t do it fairly often.
I like pies.
Like, I actually love pies.
As of late it appears onerous to only flat-out get pleasure from something. Every little thing is unhealthy for you or makes different folks upset or will get gobbled-up by enterprise capital or will get over-analyzed to the purpose that the soul appears sucked out of many issues.
I want the designated hitter rule within the Nationwide League however I miss pitchers hitting.
I’m glad MLB lessened the infield shift and instituted the pitch clock.
Can MLB do one thing about including cameras which might be on every foul line and foul pole? For all of the discourse concerning the automated strike zone, the flight of the ball over first or third and over foul pole shouldn’t be a thriller.
Whereas we’re at it, can groups push again seating or put in railings or netting to forestall followers from interfering on balls-in-play?
I digress.
Thanks to Jesse Chavez and Travis d’Arnaud and to Max Fried and A.J. Minter. I hope we a few of you again right here once more subsequent season.
I hope Michael Harris II can keep wholesome and take a giant leap ahead subsequent 12 months.
I hope the crew can keep wholesome in 2025.
I hope we will all keep wholesome in 2025.
I’m grateful for thus many issues this 12 months. I’m grateful that the journey has continued for all of us. I hope in case you have struggled this 12 months or in case you are struggling at the moment, issues get higher for you. For those who need assistance, I hope you ask for it and I hope you obtain it and that it helps.
I’m grateful at the moment.
I’m grateful for one more 12 months of sharing a part of it with you. Thanks for taking the time to learn Battery Energy at the moment and day-after-day.
Thanks to household. Thanks to pals.
I’m grateful and grateful that we’re capable of get pleasure from an period of baseball with the Atlanta Braves that gives us hope and distraction for many of the 12 months.
In the present day, I hope your meals tasted higher; the corporate you stored was as pleasurable because it has ever been; and that you just have been blessed with joyfulness.
Completely happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Selah.
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