caleb Loves Baseball
I remember pitching to Caleb when he was four and thinking, "Wow. He can really hit." He had a good swing. And he loved to play. He'd beg me to pitch to him just an hour after we'd finished playing, and many days included multiple rounds of baseball. He just couldn't get enough. He didn't play with many toys, but from an early age, he loved balls: big, bouncy ones; little ones, and, later, white balls with red laces.
That was ten years ago, and nothing has changed except the fact that I'm no longer Caleb's best playing partner. I'm just not tough enough. I don't throw far enough. And I certainly don't pitch well enough to challenge him.
Whenever I ask Caleb what he'd like to be he replies, "A pro baseball player." So I've started saying, "What about after that?" and he says, "A manager." I suggested he'd be a good baseball statistician, lawyer, engineer, or sports broadcaster. Nope. He just wantsto play ball. That's his only goal in life, other than serving a mission and having a family someday. For awhile I really questioned that. Statistcally speaking, the chances of playing professional baseball aren't very good. There are a gazillion AAA teams and D-league teams. There are a ton of guys playing in the minor leagues, doing something else to actually support themselves. Most of them will never play in the majors, and most of those that do will suit up and warm up but won't set foot on the field during the game. So, why should I be okay with his goal?
Well, a couple of reasons. Goals are good. And good goals are really good. They're motivating. They impel us to act, to work, and to improve. There's nothing in me that wants to discourage that.
I'm also a firm believer that everyone oughtta be able to do what he or she loves. I understand not everyone will; some people never receive the education or the opportunity. Others just aren't qualified. They don't have the skill. Still others just aren't in the right place at the right time, or they don't know the right people. But none of this changes the idea that, in an ideal world, everyone could succeed with hard work and a dream. So why begrudge my child his dream, or try to change it? Sometimes time or circumstances do that anyway. Since Caleb works hard on the ballfield and at home and pays for all his baseball expenses and equipment, I'll support him, just as I try to support my other kids in their endeavors. And if tomorrow his dream is different, that'll be okay, too.
But today it's baseball.
And he's at his dream school, playing on his dream field. And he's killing it. He's hit 3 home runs in 3 1/2 days. He won an award this morning. And he'smade great friends who love baseball and found another role model in his returned-missionary counselor. And right now, that's about all my boy needs.
That was ten years ago, and nothing has changed except the fact that I'm no longer Caleb's best playing partner. I'm just not tough enough. I don't throw far enough. And I certainly don't pitch well enough to challenge him.
Whenever I ask Caleb what he'd like to be he replies, "A pro baseball player." So I've started saying, "What about after that?" and he says, "A manager." I suggested he'd be a good baseball statistician, lawyer, engineer, or sports broadcaster. Nope. He just wantsto play ball. That's his only goal in life, other than serving a mission and having a family someday. For awhile I really questioned that. Statistcally speaking, the chances of playing professional baseball aren't very good. There are a gazillion AAA teams and D-league teams. There are a ton of guys playing in the minor leagues, doing something else to actually support themselves. Most of them will never play in the majors, and most of those that do will suit up and warm up but won't set foot on the field during the game. So, why should I be okay with his goal?
Well, a couple of reasons. Goals are good. And good goals are really good. They're motivating. They impel us to act, to work, and to improve. There's nothing in me that wants to discourage that.
I'm also a firm believer that everyone oughtta be able to do what he or she loves. I understand not everyone will; some people never receive the education or the opportunity. Others just aren't qualified. They don't have the skill. Still others just aren't in the right place at the right time, or they don't know the right people. But none of this changes the idea that, in an ideal world, everyone could succeed with hard work and a dream. So why begrudge my child his dream, or try to change it? Sometimes time or circumstances do that anyway. Since Caleb works hard on the ballfield and at home and pays for all his baseball expenses and equipment, I'll support him, just as I try to support my other kids in their endeavors. And if tomorrow his dream is different, that'll be okay, too.
But today it's baseball.
And he's at his dream school, playing on his dream field. And he's killing it. He's hit 3 home runs in 3 1/2 days. He won an award this morning. And he'smade great friends who love baseball and found another role model in his returned-missionary counselor. And right now, that's about all my boy needs.
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