loss and resilience

Can the players on the Texas Rangers ever forget game 6?

Twice they were within one pitch of getting a ring. Being world champions. The first time an outfielder made a play on a fly ball that looked like a little leaguer's attempt. I think I could catch that ball. I really do. But he ran back and took a stab that was nowhere near the ball. The result was a game tying triple. The second time was a little more digestible, a Cardinal player got a single to drive in the tying run. But still, twice, one pitch away.

I think coming so close to what you want and then having failed is a bruise on your heart that can't easily be removed. If you are successful at shaking it off and literally forgetting it, I believe you have created a callous that will make it difficult to feel good things later on. It is a reality. You lost. You could have been successful but you were not.

One could offset the failure by listing successes. One could also, legitimately, place the failure adjacent to more important successes. Missing a fly ball that cost your team the world series is big, but not as big as being a good person, parent, consistently responsible adult.

I think the source of resilience when confronted with failure is simply to acknowledge that tomorrow is another day and another chance to be successful. Not an easy posture to assume. When the Rangers lost game 6 the way they lost it, I figured they had no chance as in none to win game 7.