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“I think life is a journey,” Strawberry said as he spoke with the media in the Bisons dugout prior to the Herd’s game against Columbus on Saturday.

“I think we all sometimes misunderstand what life going to be for us and we just don’t know. Hopefully that journey (for others) doesn’t have to be as difficult as mine was. But I accept it and I accept the responsibility for it and I think that’s the important thing. What I understand is it’s not about me it’s about who I can help and that’s what I do today in life I help others. I don’t look back and say why me? There’s a lot of people that are lost and struggling and need direction, need to find a way. Hopefully I can be an inspiration to them and show it can be done."

Strawberry, now 47, appeared at Coca-Cola Field on Saturday as part of the Bisons pre-game giveaway of the Darryl Strawberry bobble head.

One of the most recognizable players of his generation “Straw” hit 335 homeruns, 1,000 RBIs, made eight consecutive all-star appearances (1984-91) and won four World Series titles, one with the Mets and three (1996, 98-99) with the Yankees.

Connected once again with his beloved team Strawberry now serves as a goodwill ambassador for the Mets.

“It means a great deal to me,” Strawberry said with a huge smile. “That’s homegrown 1980 I’m being drafted by them, coming up in 1983 (NL) Rookie of the Year. All of the successful years that we had in the 80s as a team to be back and a part of this organization it means a great deal to me.”

Appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated six times Strawberry also did his own voice in the classic Simpsons’ episode Homer at the bat.

But as great a player as Strawberry was his legacy of off field troubles will follow him just as closely.

Along with the reputation for partying, drugs and womanizing that the ’86 Mets had Strawberry individually has laundry list of personal issues.

From failed child support in 1995 to his arrest in 1999 for attempting to solicit a policewoman who was posing as a prostitute, an incident that caused MLB to issue a 140 day suspension to Strawberry.

Along what seemed to be a revolving door between jail and rehab clinic in the early 2000s, Strawberry’s playing days included surely reaction to fans and a public on field clash with Met teammate Wally Backman where the 6-foot-6 Strawberry threatened to, “bust that little redneck in the face.”

Strawberry also survived a bout off colon cancer that required 24 inches of his colon to be removed during a 1998 surgery.

Darryl documented these and every other issue in his colorful life in his New York Times best seller: “Straw: Finding My Way” where he bares his soul about the wrongs in his life and, in a way, tries to apologize to his family for the pain he caused them through his years of cocaine addition that caused his life to spin out of control.

“I wouldn’t say it was therapeutic I would say it was painful,” Strawberry said. “Looking back on what it was like the people that I hurt. I’m very sensitive about that. To be able to revisit that stuff-it can be painful but I can say its good to get it out. It’s a heeling part for myself and also to be able to make amends to my loved ones that I hurt.”

Coming full circle Darryl Strawberry now makes a point of talking to younger players and giving them the munch needed life lessons so they don’t experience the pit falls he did.

In the end Straw is hopeful that will be his legacy.