The dust rose from the catchers mitt signaling the end for him. His sixth swing of the bat was a clean whiff. I saw it from the first base line. I also saw the batter's face as he removed his helmet. It was sheer disappointment. It was the first time he had struck out all season. Immediately, our eyes met and the glances between us confirmed an understanding of sorts. It was simply that no one was perfect.
As we made our way to the game earlier that evening, his confidence turned into boasting as he relived the triumphs of previous games and practices. "Baseball is easy," he said. "I always get at least a base hit." In truth, he was correct, in reality however, he was sadly mistaken. While he continued in his boastful banter, I brought into the conversation as many sports stars as I could. "Jordan missed more than 9,000 times. The great “Bambino, the Sultan of Swat,” Babe Ruth himself struck out 1,330 times!" The difference, I said, was that they kept trying - that's the secret - remember. "Dad," he proclaimed, "I'm different." My reply was repeated- remember!
When the inning had ended and we met in the dugout after his strikeout, you could see in his face the embarrassment. His head was down as he whispered the words… "I don't want to play anymore." With a stiff tug on his baseball cap, I lifted his head and whispered back – remember! He then reluctantly trotted out to cover third base.
What would he do I thought. How would he react when it's his turn to bat again? With the common knowledge that everyone faces this in life at some point or another, I was more concerned with his reaction than anything else. Would he keep trying? My stomach turned inside.
"TJ, you're up," the manager yelled out the following inning. I looked away. His first swing resembled his last and so did the following four. With a maximum of six pitches to each batter, this would be it. I focused to catch his eye and didn't give any advice. Frankly, he'd been given all he needed.
He hit the ball into the outfield and sprinted to first base! Inside I wanted to sprint with him but I didn't. Inside I wanted to run up and tell him some Earl and Tiger Woods type stuff like, “Let the legend grow,” but I didn’t do that either. I simply smiled and pointed to my head indicating our "remember" conversation. He nodded back while high fiving the opposing team’s first base coach.
Wouldn't you know it though, the boy waited until the last pitch to make a hit on his subsequent tries. I nearly passed out every time! It's an odd thing, baseball and life, I mean. The secret of both of is to remember to just keep trying and that no one is perfect…
To read more please be sure to purchase a copy of my soon to be published book chronicling my life as a single father. Also, feel free to donate toward its costs if you so choose by clicking the donate button @ http://chroniclesofasinglefather.blogspot.com. Thanks for taking this journey with me.
Miracles and Blessings
Tron
Hey man - good job of walking that fine line of projecting direction at that opportune moment, and not just delivering an opinion that would fall on def ears.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the midst of a very similar chapter with both of my boys. Their in an endurance and agility training program for this coming football season, yet both are whining I quit after each training session.
Nehemiah, he's motivated to play football as he did well last year, he's just hating the prep.
Tj on the other hand hasn't played at all. All he knows is soccer, and b-ball. We spoke about getting ready for football all last football season as he watched his brother play. He was amped and ready as a spectator, and was sure this is what he wanted. I choose my moments to reason with him asking "does it make sense to reject what you have not tried". The conversation makes perfect sense to him (at the time). Once its time to train football is out the door altogether for him.
I know there's great lessons to be learned in the sport so in my mind I already know that backing out is not an option for him. I just have to be sure not to communicate that to him, so that he can experience the lessons of pushing himself to his own limits to realize he's got more than he thought.
I appreciate your writeup. Thanks.