There are some movies that withstand the test of time, that effect you powerfully each and every time you see them. One of those movies for me is Field of Dreams. Released in 1989, Field of Dreams is based off the W.P. Kinsella novel Shoeless Joe and tells the story of Iowa farm owner Ray Kinsella who hears a voice tell him “if you build it, he will come.” Ray believes the voice is asking him to build a baseball field in his corn in order to give Shoeless Joe Jackson another chance to play, after he received a lifetime ban due to his role in the Black Sox scandal.

Field of Dreams is famously known as the movie that makes men cry, but it’s much more than that. It’s a movie about dreamers, about family bonds, second chances, and of course, about baseball. It transcends genres and connects on the deepest levels. I’ve been a baseball fan all my life and I was introduced to this film at a young age. I knew, the moment I saw it, that Field of Dreams was different than other films. It’s not a cynical story. Field of Dreams is not for viewers looking for thrilling game play scenes or day to day vignettes about baseball. It simply uses America’s past time to talk about the bonds that connect us. It’s a story meant to inspire and to bring us closer together.

The novel I am currently working on centers around baseball, but like Field of Dreams, it’s about more than the game. I often look to this film as inspiration when writing. I think it’s a movie that everyone needs to see at least once in their life, especially now when we are all so disconnected from one another. Field of Dreams is guaranteed to re-energize your soul and have you believe in dreams again.

And, you may shed a tear or two.