Mikie Mahtook chasing a foul ball, missing it and tumbling into the bullpen is a metaphor for life

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try at something, we just fall short of our goal. In sports, this is basically an everyday thing, but it also applies to the rest of us, too. Quite often. 
Whether playing entirely too many arcade games in hopes of accumulating 50,000 tickets to exchange for some silly prize or working overtime, trying to impress the boss and nab that promotion at work, only to see it handed off to a colleague, life has a way of reminding us all who's in charge -- and it isn't us. 
Mikie Mahtook of the Tigers found himself in a lesson-learning situation in Monday's 11-3 Spring Training loss to the Braves, when Freddie Freeman cracked a line drive down the left-field line. Mahtook sprinted over, ball in sight, but it just barely eluded his outstretched glove -- and his effort and momentum sent Mahtook over the bullpen wall:

But -- and, you see, this really is the key to the story -- Mahtook dusted himself off and returned to duty, ready for the next chance at a line drive ... because that's what happens when we come up just short. We try again.