There is something special about Opening Day in baseball. Everyone has a little bit more bounce in their step. The stadium is dressed up like it was going to prom. The bunting is hung at various points around the stadium like a bow on a party dress. You can almost feel the electricity in the air.

While the Arizona Diamondbacks were technically playing their eighth game of the season, it was still Opening Day as it would be the first game of the regular season for the home team. As I wrote about last year, Opening Day has a special meaning for me. My mother loved baseball and I had the opportunity to take her to a few Opening Day games before her passing.

Being here for the first game of the season is a reminder of how much I miss her but it is also a time when I feel the closest to her. Last year I brought my father to the game to share that with her. Today, I brought my wife. I wanted her to feel the specialness of this day and to hopefully cement memories we will cherish for all of our lives.

Whenever you try to plan an event you want everything to go perfectly. For many this will be the first impression they have of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chase Field. Everything is cleaned and polished and looks perfect. But like all of our best laid plans it never quite works out the way we wanted. And in many cases that’s not a bad thing.

Today for the Diamondbacks they had their own number of challenges. When we arrived the Chase Field roof was closed. The plan was to open the roof just before game time for player introductions, the national anthem and a fly over by the Air Force. When it became time to open the roof it began but only one side opened. There was an electrical issue that caused one of the roof panels not to operate. As much as the Diamondbacks tried, they could not get it to work and ultimately just closed the other side for consistency.

Diehard fans are like soul mates. They realize that a person’s beauty and the love they have for them is not based upon outward appearances. They love the teams and the stadiums for who and what they are not how pretty they show to others. So while some may have viewed the lack of an operating roof as a severe negative, most were just grateful to have a date and to spend time with the one they love.