Our family used to live in Dubuque, Iowa – the oldest city in the state of Iowa.
About 22 miles to the west is the town of Dyersville – Home to the movie site of “Field of Dreams”, starring Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta and James Earl Jones.
One Memorial Day weekend we took the family along with my mom and sister out to Dyersville to see the site. At the souvenir stand we bought the Blue Ray edition of the movie.
Popcorn in hand, the whole watched the movie together. Scenes from the movie were filmed on the University of Dubuque campus and we shouted and pointed at the TV when Kevin Costner comes walking out of the very building where I used to work in day in and day out.
The basic premise is a farmer upon hearing a voice in the cornfield saying, “If you build it, he will come”, plows under part of his cornfield to build a baseball field – a “field where dreams come true.”
All of a sudden “Shoeless” Joe Jackson of the famed Chicago White Sox “Black Sox” scandal comes out on the field and asks Kevin Costner, “Is this heaven?”
To which the famous reply is, “No… this is Iowa.”
All sorts of dreams start coming true at this baseball field where only those who believe can actually see what is being played out on this “Field of Dreams.”
One of the other voices that Kevin Costner hears is “Ease his pain.” Struggling to know what this means Kevin Costner goes on a search across the country, ultimately bringing him back to his own farm, on his own baseball field.
At the end of the movie as the baseball players wander off into the cornfield there remains one player on the field, the catcher. He is putting his catcher’s gear away.
The catcher removes his mask, stands up, turns around and to Kevin Costner’s amazement, he staring right into the face of his own father (at a younger age). Kevin introduces him to the family he never had the privilege of meeting in real life.
The father starts to walk off and Kevin says with great emotional hope, “Dad?… Want to play catch?” And so they do…
And the pain of a broken relationship with his father is healed with the simple and yet profound gesture of “playing catch” with his father. And finally Kevin realizes that it is his own pain that is being eased…
As the camera pans back from this bucolic scene, the sun has set, darkness has risen and the headlights of cars from miles away illuminate the driveway, the road and the highway as they fulfill the prophecy… “If you build it they will come.”
Laugh Often and Fear Not…
As soon as the father turned around and said, “Hello” to Kevin Costner tears started streaming down my face.
They continued cascading especially when Kevin asks his dad to play catch.
The specific memory of playing catch with my own dad came rushing back to my mind and emotions like a flash flood.
It was not a good memory.
To my memory, my dad and I played catch only once. I was about four or five. After about five or six throws, I threw that plastic baseball over his head. I thought I had done such a good thing by being able to throw the ball that far. My dad didn’t have the same thought. With that, my dad walked inside and we never played catch ever again.
There is a great and deep pain I would love to have “eased.” Oh how I would love to have the opportunity to play catch with my dad again… and just maybe the pain would be eased.
Dear Lord, there are a lot of us in great pain today.
Would you please ease the pain of…
My good friend whose son died by suicide last week…
My good friend who suffers from cancer and although his spirit is strong and his hope in You is secure, the uncertain future can be quite scary…
My good friend who is going through a divorce where the promise of holding the hand of the one she loves has disappeared…
My good friends who lost their daughter in law and grandson within one hour of each other…
My good friends who suffer from mental health issues…
My good friends who suffer the pain of a broken relationship with their father, their mother, their brothers and sisters, and their children…
My good friend who lost her children in a great tragedy…
My good friend who lost her mom recently…
My good friend whose cancer stricken 10 year old daughter now weighs 52 pounds…
My good friends who have a broken relationship with you O Lord…
And the list goes on and on for my “good friends”.
What pain do you suffer from which you would like to have “eased?”
Time does not heal or ease these pains…
Only God heals and eases these pains…
May the healing hand of God be upon us all this day…and turn this “Field of painful reality” into the “Field of Dreams” we long for and hope for…
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
Listen to Jesus’ invitation…”Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11. 28-30)
This Sunday we celebrate Father’s Day!
Happy Father’s Day!!