I just returned from a trip with my family to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where my son competed in the AAU Grand National Championships Baseball Tournament. He played for the Lehigh Valley Iron Colts at the nearby ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. For those who remember, ABC's Wide World of Sports TV program aired every Saturday from 1961 to 1998, highlighted by the theme that is the title of this column.

Although athletic competition was our focus, we were reminded of the agony of recent tragedies in Orlando. In the city where dreams come true when you wish upon a star, a moment of silence was held at the opening ceremony of the baseball tournament for the 49 people who were murdered by a gunman at an Orlando nightclub.Inside Disney's Magic Kingdom, during scenes where Goofy and Mickey Mouse delighted children of all ages, we saw plenty of people walking by wearing, "We are Orlando" T-shirts displaying the flag of gay pride.Another agony of Orlando was obvious, too.All of Disney's resort beaches were closed for most of the week because of the boy who drowned after he was dragged into one of the lakes by an alligator. They were eventually opened again, but only after fences were erected, separating the water from the sand.The fences gave me the impression of "No Trespassing" signs. I never saw a single person walk on the beach during my entire stay.The irony that this city, which has brought so much joy to millions of people in its fantasy theme parks, was a target for such brutal violence and was also the scene of a child's tragic death makes me think that nowhere on earth is safe anymore.That leaves heaven as the only haven for peace, and by the way that mankind is destroying itself with unconscionable acts of rage, you have to wonder if this planet isn't the real hell.In the aftermath of Orlando's mayhem, our Pennsylvania baseball team, representing the entire Mid-Atlantic region, won third place in a national tournament loaded with elite travel teams from Virginia, Georgia, Florida, California and Puerto Rico. Our boys competed with the heat index at the fields reaching 107 degrees each day of the week. After some tough early losses, they lost only one of their last five games.The moment of our team's ecstasy occurred when our left fielder squeezed the fly ball final out to defeat the top seeded East Georgia Mustangs. Elation filled the air from our players and happy tears fell from the faces of their parents. For me, to be a part of this team as a coach and to experience this moment with my son will be something special to talk about for many years to come.On the other side of the field, heartbreak and agony could be seen on the faces of a group of Georgia boys who had failed to live up to their expectations.I have come to realize that this life we live each day challenges all of us to offer our compassion with those who need to hear the words, "It's going to be all right." These words, along with a simple pat on the back, helps young ballplayers realize there will be another game to play and another opportunity to win.Sometimes confirming the significance of someone's life does not require us to do much. I smile at strangers I pass by. A friendly gesture might diminish the anger just enough in someone who is on the verge of doing the unthinkable to those who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.If we can integrate a young baseball team to count on each other, and we can prevent the isolation of those who become disillusioned from our society, our young people can learn to cope with struggle, failure, and even tragedy, which are inevitable experiences of the human condition.American philosopher Wayne Dyer offered this insightful thought."Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be."Rich Strack can be reached at

katehep11@gmail.com.