My Lesson From Vin Scully

I've never met Vin Scully, but he taught me a powerful lesson.

I read on a friend's post that Vin Scully announced his last LA Dodger game tonight. Somehow, though I'm obviously not a huge Dodger fan, that announcement made me sad. Sad, perhaps because its the end of an era. Sad perhaps because it's the end of a voice I've known all my life.

I grew up listening to Dodger baseball. In numerous car rides up and down the Grapevine visiting family in Los Angeles I'd "watch" Dodger games play out in my mind's eye listening to Vin bring the plays to life. Oh, to be honest, my dad tended to turn the game on as we all were getting sleepy and he needed to stay awake. Though I tended to fall asleep dreaming of baseball just a few innings into the game (thanks Dad), I learned how to follow baseball by listening to Vin's voice.

A few years ago I read a fascinating article on how Vin got his start. The article stated that back in 1949, when Vin was just getting started in his broadcasting career, before he even began working with the (at the time) Brooklyn Dodgers, his sports director gave him a piece of advice that would guarantee his success. His advice? Never listen to other announcers.

Never listen to other announcers.

I was moved when I read the advice. The sports director was telling Vin to fight to remain unique. Don't try to fit in or sound like the other guys - in fact, don't even listen to them in the off-chance they're techniques or style rubs off on you and you abandon the uniqueness of being you! 

This advice is so contrary to advice we are given today. I look at my own life and recognize the many times I try to live up to other people's expectations of me or be someone I am not. 

Why is it so difficult to be comfortable in our own skin?

How strikingly different would my life be today if I had a 'sports director' encouraging me to not pay attention to the players around me, just focus on being me. Focus on being the best- the only Connie Marie Morgan Nicholson I can be. The gravity of that statement is huge. If we could only grasp the uniqueness of each of our gifts, talents, callings we might catch a glimpse at how much our world is loosing when we try to be someone other than our own true self.

I know at the end of my life, God is not going to ask me, "How well did you live your life like (fill in the blank)?" He's not going to compare my life with someone else's life or even compare my reactions to other people's reactions. He knows I am unique - as are you. He put me on the earth at this time, as this person, in this family, with my giftings and skills on purpose. God knew 100% what he was doing and nothing about me is an accident.

People may disagree with me. People may think I'm crazy. But at the end of the day, God doesn't call me to explain myself or even to please people - He just wants me to be Connie, in all my messy uniqueness and beautiful flaws.

I want to live my life like Vin Scully. Not to broadcast baseball - obviously that would not turn out well! But I want to live my life in full surrender of who God has created me to be. Comfortable with my voice, my body, my thoughts and my experiences. Not putting on a facade to be someone I am not. But instead fully comfortable and confident to be me - Simply Connie.