ENOUGH THREES

Tony La Russa, the third-winningest manager in Major League history announced his retirement as a manager today, three days after winning a World Series for the third time in his 33-year career.

One is a dot, two is a line but three is a triangle – the first occasion of unity. The Hebrew word Chazaka refers to an action done three times; for example, giving charity three times is like to vow to always give charity – before three times is temporal, but three is permanent.

This bit of cabalistic knowledge is derived from the structure of creation built from triangles like the human form built from the triangle of the head, the triangle of the body and arms and the last triangle from the legs and the sex. The Star of David is two triangles.

Inherent within the human being who recognizes three days after winning his third World Series in 33 years, it is time to retire – too many threes. Perhaps there was not conscious cognition but the strength of the threes surely made an impression and contributed to his final decision.

Like any artist, writer or artisan there is a knack to knowing when the piece is done, when the last period is formed like the final hit of the hammer that fixes the vessel being forged. Most people retire never getting close to being fulfilled from their work. Congratulations, Tony