When I originally saw my name on the list for a late-October blog post, I knew exactly what I was going to write about: a guide to being a Philadelphia Phillies fan in hostile New York Yankees territory. After all, the Phillies were supposed to still be playing baseball – a pre-season favorite to represent the National League in the World Series.

But alas, the cliché about “the best laid plans…often go awry” came true: the Phillies suffered an early playoff exit – and took my original blog post with it.

Not wanting to “throw the baby out with the bath water,” I figured I’d still do a Phillies-themed post. Because even though their record-breaking season didn’t end with a parade down Broad Street, I can’t help but look back on it fondly:

Sharing in the excitement of the Cliff Lee signing with friends and family back home in the wee hours of December 14…Buying my dad a “shirtsey” for each of the Phillies’ “four aces” and watching him open the box Christmas morning…Making the trip to Clearwater, Fla., for Spring Training with my sister and a friend, whose father – a big Phillies fan – had passed away just three weeks before…Treating my dad to two games at Citizens Bank Park, and marveling at how far the Phillies had come from the not-so-good ‘ol days, when his partial-season tickets meant spending money to watch a terrible team in an even worse stadium…Taking a last-minute road trip with my brother one Sunday afternoon in August to root for the away team in Washington, D.C….Enjoying Chickie’s & Pete’s Crab Fries, cold Yuengling and Dollar Dogs with my sister at “The Bank” while pulling for Roy Halladay to win his 16th game…Being in the stands when the Phillies clinched their fifth straight NL East title.

As all of this suggests, there’s another – perhaps more important – cliché that best summarizes the season that was: “It’s not the destination, so much as the journey.”

 Only 112 days until the Phillies’ pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater. I can’t wait for the journey to start again.

-Amy