A little over seven years ago, I did a Crash Davis-like Things I Believe In blog post on the original Little Merry Sunshine blog. To this day, it ranks right up there with my all-time favorite posts.

Oh, you’re not familiar with Crash Davis’s monologue from Bull Durham? I won’t judge you (much), but you must rectify that and watch one of the best movies of all time right this very second. I don’t care if you’re at work or in the middle of your wedding reception. Go into a conference room with your iPad and pull it up on Netflix or Amazon Prime or wherever you can find it and watch it now. Trust me. You’ll thank me later.

Here’s what Crash believes in, which is also the greatest movie monologue ever. EVER.

In speaking to Anne Savoy, played by the truly amazing Susan Sarandon, Crash Davis, played by Kevin Costner who was obviously born to play baseball heroes, says,

“Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman’s back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.”

If you’re a woman, you’re swooning. If you’re a guy, you’re wishing you had his swagger.

Partly because it’s been seven years and partly because ChicagoNow bloggers are tackling the topic of what we believe in this week, I’ve decided it’s time to review the list, see what has stuck, what hasn’t, and what new beliefs I’ve developed.

Let’s look at my 2007 list:

I believe in love at first sight and have been blessed to have experienced it once.

I believe that my never-ending belief in Santa makes Christmas morning more exciting. But if that Easy Bake Oven (that I asked for when I was 5) doesn’t show up soon, I might start doubting.

I believe in the 10-feet rule – I smile at anyone who comes within 10 feet of me.

I believe in the Golden Rule and surround myself with others who hold this belief dear.

I believe that no one cares how much I know until they know how much I care.

I believe respect is the foundation for the healthiest relationships.

I believe that all food tastes better when eaten by candlelight and on good china.

I believe that children are proof of God.

I believe that the Cubs will win the World Series in my lifetime (if the BoSox & White Sox can, so can they!).

I believe there is a man out there who will love me as much as I love him, who will treat me with respect, and for whom being a “gentleman” is a way of life – not a catch-phrase.

I believe that our life experiences and the lessons we learn make us more interesting.

I believe that quality beats quantity every time.

I believe in the healing power of hugs.

I believe in living life to the fullest and taking time everyday to stop, smell, touch, and taste the roses.

I believe in monogamy and that true love can last forever.

I believe that we all have baggage. What we do with it and how we deal with it defines us more than the baggage itself.

I believe in “paying it forward” and helping those in need. It always comes back at least ten fold and usually when I’m least expecting it.

I believe music speaks to my soul, especially first thing in the morning, in a way no amount of caffeine ever will.

I believe there are no mistakes or failures in life, just opportunities to learn valuable lessons.

I believe friends are the family I choose.

I believe pets are the cheapest and most effective form of therapy available.

I believe watching the sunset every night is the greatest test of faith. And watching the sunrise in the morning is evidence my faith was well placed.

Well, look at that, I was pretty wise back in the day. I still believe all of that. I have developed some new beliefs though.

1. I believe that writing is therapeutic and that I have a couple of amazing books in me that just need to be put onto paper.
2. I believe that we can’t wait for our lives to start. The dreams we had as children, teens, or even as young adults may not come to fruition, so we can’t sit around waiting for them. We can, however, have entirely fulfilling lives filled with people we love and who love us back. It’s up to us not dwell on the past and our regrets, but to focus on the future and all the abundance surrounding us each day.
3. I believe that everyone can benefit from therapy. Some need more, some need less, but having an objective perspective is priceless.
4. I believe that unhealthy relationships will suck the life right out of me and they must be avoided at all costs. The best way to avoid them is knowing my worth and honoring myself in everything I do.
5. I believe that when any relationship ends – friendship, romantic, job, or otherwise – it’s vital to step-back and ask “what role did I have in this relationship not going the distance?” No relationship ends entirely because of one person.
6. I can find gratitude in every experience, even if I must search for it.
7. I believe that one of the most important exercises I ever undertook as a young adult was examining my core values. Were they my values or just what I’d been told should be my values? I believe this is a vital part of becoming a healthy adult.
8. I believe that none of us is promised a “someday” and it’s vital to live my Bucket List or Life List, as I prefer to call it, daily.
9. I believe that experience, not things make us happy.
10. I believe that taking time each day to decompress and reconnect with myself keeps me healthy.
11. I believe that the only thing in life we can control is how we react to it.
12. I believe that people come into our lives for reasons, seasons, or lifetimes and it’s not usually possible to know which one.
13. I believe that just like the Rolling Stones said, “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need.”
14. Just like my friend Brad Meltzer believes, I firmly believe that “ordinary people change the world.”

What do you believe? I’d love to know in the comments?

This post was brought to you as a part of This Blogger Life, a weekly ChicagoNow series, where CN bloggers are given a topic that we are free to interpret however we want. This week’s topic was “What do you believe in?” Check out all the posts here.

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