Teaghin Andre

Thank you Francisco Lindor @Lindor12BC. Thank you New York Mets. You never know when you’re going to find a new source of inspiration, and Francisco became that inspiration for me this year. You could see the dedication in his eyes, in his plays - you could even see it in his strikeouts; it wasn’t a case of “couldn’t,” only “didn’t that time.” My Sphere concerts this summer became games in my mind. Wins were when the music was cooking, when the notes matched the intention, when the zone could be found. Every weekend was a series, and every show was a home game. When I injured my finger and looked down to see half the nail sheared off and bleeding, my first thought was how to play with the other three fingers. That was what Lindor would have done, and so that’s what I did. The Mets’ talent makes them aspirational, but their humanity makes them relational. It means that it’s never out of the question what’s being done on that field could be done by you and I in our pursuits, too. If I had one secret of success to share with you, it’s to pick someone in life you admire and run alongside them. You don’t have to know them to decide that if they can keep going, you can keep going. And the Mets kept going. I hope that in the next few days, after the disappointment has had its say, that Francisco and the entire team realizes that what they accomplished was enough. Their monumental run was enough to unify a city, bring together families, friends, and remind us all that above all else, nothing is more powerful a force in achieving success than effort. A boring word, “effort.” But it’s the only chance of good becoming great and that greatness taking hold for the long run. So thank you Francisco Lindor, and thank you to the 2024 Mets for the unbelievable adventure, the inspiration, and the reminder to never give up. It was more than enough.