There is nothing quite like the memories of playing catch in the backyard. It’s warm out, the sun is going down, and in that moment only a few things matter; two people, their mitts, a baseball and a backyard. The latest ad from Coldwell Banker titled “Catch,” which debuted on March 30 during Baseball Tonight, perfectly captures this experience.

“Catch” tells the story of how a simple game of catch is passed down from one generation to another. It begins with a father’s memory of playing catch with his dad when he was a boy and then transitions to the now adult father throwing a baseball in the backyard with his daughter. The father’s monologue ends with the line, “Just two people, a ball and a backyard. And the comfort of home.”

 

 

Watching the ad got me thinking about how I define the comfort of home and the traditions passed down from generation. For some, maybe it’s cooking an old family recipe for dinner, for others perhaps it’s swimming in your pool and playing a game of Marco Polo or sharing stories by an outdoor fire pit.

For me, the comfort of home means jasmine wafting in from outside and freshly cut roses in the living room. This goes back to my childhood home and the beautiful garden my mom cultivated, a gift and a passion passed down to her from my grandfather.

Last year my parents sold our home and I had to say goodbye to that beautiful garden, but not the memories. I’ll always remember coming home from school on so many days, calling out my mother’s name and finding her knee deep in the rose bushes; a big hat shielding her face from the sun, gloves protecting her hands from the thorns and dirt everywhere. When I walk down the street and catch the scent of jasmine it will always take me back to my childhood home and how I’d throw open my bedroom windows on warmer days to let the sweet aroma fill my room. And when I pluck roses from my own garden and bring them inside to display on my coffee table, I’ll always think about how nice it was to be surrounded by flowers while growing up.

Much like the family playing catch in the commercial, I can take comfort in the memories I have of my mom’s garden and find solace in tending for my own plants now as an adult. And I’ll always know I’m home when there’s the smell of jasmine wafting in from outside and freshly cut roses in the living room.

Every home has a story. Tell yours at ColdwellBanker.com/stories.

“Catch” is part of a series of commercials Coldwell Banker has released over the past few years that tell a story about the moments and memories that make a house a home. The ad will also air on other national networks such as A&E, AMC, Comcast SportsNet and NBC. This new ad comes on the heels of the “Home’s Best Friend” commercial which highlights what’s waiting on the other side of the door after a long day – our dog.