Take it from Major League Baseball - NEVER Give Up

Life, in many instances, reflects sports. Here lately, our focus has been on NCAA March Madness and the trimming of the field of 68 down to the Final Four.

But, for the college men and women of March Madness, April has arrived. It's not over, but it's close. In my world, this means that the focus on Major League Baseball begins.

Here in my southern section of the United States, there are several MLB teams that capture the attention of fans. For me, it's the St. Louis Cardinals. For others, it's the Cincinnati Reds. For others such as my mother, it's the Atlanta Braves.

The 2025 edition of the Braves had a tough start to the year - losing seven straight games before rebounding for the home opener versus NL East rival Miami on Friday night, April 4: A 10-0 clobbering at Truist Park.

Prior to this Friday night delight for the home opener in Atlanta, the Braves lost seven consecutive games on the road: Four to the San Diego Padres and three to the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Even though Atlanta fell to the Marlins on Saturday night 4/5 by a score of 4-0, I don't think that these first days of the season are necessarily indicative of how the entire season will unfold.

I heard on ESPN radio today that MLB teams that started the year with seven straight defeats have never made the postseason playoffs. If there is any team that can end this streak, it's the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves won the World Series in 2021 and have been a force in the National League in recent years. Don't count these guys out.

But let's take the illustration to us as men. What will we do when adversity strikes? We aren't getting paid the big bucks like the Atlanta Braves or other professional athletes. It matters not. At some point or another, we will face health issues, marital issues, child issues, and the list goes on.

The point is not whether said events will happen. The point is that we will be tested and that our response to said test will determine our path moving forward.

I urge you not to be symbolic of a team in any sport that folds in the early running but to step up like a team that never, ever gives up. For instance, the 2025 Atlanta Braves.