a baseball metaphor

so, there is this American game called baseball. you got to hit the ball as far as you can and run around, starting home, going through three bases turning left and returning home to score. it is one of the few sports where you actually run away from the ball instead of running to the ball. but I digress.

now, among many metaphors of life embedded in the structure of the game, there's this. after you hit the ball and set on the course, you have a coach at first base and you have another coach at third base. he has the rights to stop you or send you forward, he's the one teaching you to carry on with the game. at second base however you are on your own, you face home plate directly, you have the best perspective on the whole infield action, see the pitches clearly, you decide whether to steal third or stay on second, you can even help your team-mate who is at bat, because everything is so obvious from your place.

ain't it the same with life? youth is the race to first base (and we need coaches), maturity is the race to second base and through to third, when we are pretty much on our own, and then in old age we got coaches again to drive us back home, to finish the run in style and at peace with ourselves and the whole adventure around the bases. sure we need good team-mates to ensure our advancing, but we can risk ourselves sometimes and advance in spite of those 9 people in defense.

sports have their wisdom. what say you?

(for a larger perspective on baseball metaphors, you might like this article - I had to recover it from a forum, because the original link seems broken).