HOLY COW

Halsey Hall: "Holy Cow!" (baseball broadcaster who originated and popularized the term)

Driving down an old country road on a hot day after coaching I happened to pass by a cow farm, and it kindled an idea for a short story. What resulted was, I hope, a somewhat humorous way to illustrate different philosophical and ideological approaches to dealing with adversity and challenges.

THE COW AND THE SUN
The stoic cow knows that he cannot control the sun and therefore controls his reaction to the sun and overcomes the heat with strength of mind, yet he still sweats. The capitalist cow distracts himself by believing that the more grass he eats the less he’ll feel the pain of the hot sun, yet he still sweats. The Christian cow believes he will experience great pleasure in the future from his suffering in the sun so he bears the pain well, yet he still sweats. The Hindu cow says OOM instead of MOO and realizes he is one with the sun and therefore experiences no duality between the sun and himself, yet he still sweats. The communist cow believes the pain of the sun should be shared equally between his herd, and therefore he is not subject to the full extent of its harmful rays, yet he still sweats. The Islamic cow knows that the greatest battle against the pain of the sun is not external but is that which must be waged within his own heart, yet he still sweats. The Buddhist cow realizes that it is his desire for escaping the pain of the sun which causes his suffering, so he extinguishes this desire, yet he still sweats. the Taoist cow moves to the shade.

​If you enjoyed this new meditation on the deeper meaning of the game, you’ll love THE ART OF WAR AND BASEBALL!! Check it out here: www.theartofwarandbaseball.com