Baseball fans know the familiar scene: the pitcher winds up, the batter braces, and everyone waits for the umpire’s call—ball or strike. The decision feels instantaneous, but it carries weight. The umpire’s judgment shapes the game, inning by inning, pitch by pitch.
In life and relationships, awareness works a lot like that umpire.
We’re constantly making calls about what we see, what we feel, and what we believe to be true. Sometimes we’re confident—“That’s a strike!” Other times we hesitate, second-guessing ourselves, or even outsourcing the call to someone else. But awareness requires that we stay present and honest, even when the truth is uncomfortable.
So what is the truth?
An umpire doesn’t invent balls and strikes. The truth is already there in the pitch, the strike zone, and the rules of the game. The umpire’s role is simply to witness and declare it.
In the same way, the truth about your circumstances—your marriage, your divorce, your choices, your patterns—already exists. Awareness doesn’t create truth; it acknowledges it.
The challenge is that, unlike in baseball, life doesn’t give us a neatly defined strike zone. We bring our history, our biases, and our wounds to every call. That’s why two people can look at the same situation and see it very differently.
When awareness is clouded
In divorce, as in many of life’s big transitions, it’s common to see people struggle with awareness. Hurt feelings, shame, anger, or fear can make it difficult to call things as they are. Maybe you’ve been telling yourself a story that protects you from pain, but keeps you from reality. Maybe you’ve been holding on to what you wish was true instead of what actually is.
When we lack awareness, we’re like an umpire who refuses to call strikes for his favorite team. The game breaks down. Relationships collapse. Resentment builds. And the truth, ignored for too long, eventually demands attention.
Growing in awareness
So how do you grow in awareness? It starts with slowing down enough to really see. Pay attention to your inner world. Notice the stories you’re telling yourself. Ask hard questions:
- Is this really true, or is it what I want to be true?
- Am I making this call based on fear or clarity?
- What do the facts actually show me?
Like a seasoned umpire who trusts his eyes and instincts after years behind the plate, you can learn to trust yourself. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s honesty.
Awareness as freedom
Awareness doesn’t always make life easier, but it does make it more real. And reality is where freedom begins. You can’t heal what you won’t acknowledge. You can’t change what you won’t admit. You can’t move forward if you’re unwilling to make the call.
At Robertson + Easterling, we walk with people who are trying to navigate life-altering decisions with clarity. We believe awareness—naming the truth without distortion or denial—is one of the bravest steps you can take.
So the next time you feel yourself stuck in uncertainty or denial, picture the umpire behind home plate. The pitch is coming whether you like it or not. The question is: are you willing to call it for what it really is?
