To Celebrate Or Not: What's a Cub Fan to Do?

As I wait in earnest for this afternoons Cubs vs. Cardinals game, I realize that this has more meaning then usual.  The Cubs have a chance to clinch the National League Central Division Championship. 

Now last year, this was monumental—we had not won the division since that fateful 2003 season (which still harbors terrible memories), but this season, I only have one question to ask, do we celebrate?

Sure, as a Cubs fan, winning does not come by very often, let alone two straight division titles.  Last year was exciting, we spent a lot of money in the off season, and we played pretty good baseball all year. 

I was excited when we won, I jumped up and down, watched the coverage on TV, and laughed a bit when I saw Ron Santo walking through the celebration with a cold drink in hand, but this year seems a bit more like business. 

There is a much bigger goal to be obtained this year.  Last year's first round knockout was a hard slap in the face that proved we were not ready. The talk all season long has been about winning a world series.  Sure, its been a hundred years since we last won a world series, and all along this team seemed poised to do so. 

We were able to stay a float when our best player, Alfonso Soriano, went down.  We some how have managed to get 16 wins out of Ryan Dempster, and never in my wildest dreams would I of thought he could get 16 wins. 

I hated the signing of Jim Edmonds early in the season, but I love it now as he has belted 18 home runs for the Cubs, and despite the 12 million a year Fukudome has been anything but good, yet we still are the best team in the national league.

So I should celebrate, right?  Wrong.  Don't take this the wrong way, I am very excited about another division title, but that seems so small in the grand scheme of things.  For once, I have truly felt like we can win a world series, and I will be devastated if that doesn't happen. 

Now a few hours from now, when we hopefully clinch the division, I plan on jumping up and down a bit, watching Ron Santo smile from ear to ear, but I will then sit on the edge of my seat throughout the playoffs, hoping that just ONCE a Cubs team won't break my heart. 

Please Cubs—give me something to celebrate.