Tag Archives: parenting

Mar 25 2026
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This is a story about Baseball

It’s opening day – a day that reminds us anything (everything!) is possible. From an electrifying world baseball classic to a photo from my son dropped into a text earlier this week of the vibrant green of the baseball diamond, the perfect outfield, the sparkling blue sky against the rising stands of a major league ball park. The signs are everywhere: it’s time to embrace summer’s game, the season, the possibilities. I mean, “how can you not be romantic about baseball?” (Billy Beane (Brad Pitt)– MoneyBall.)

But this post is about the very heart of baseball – a game that brings out the child in all of us. Childlike hope, wonder,  possibility and optimism. The photo says it all.

Here’s the story…

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were at a spring training game in Florida. There was a young family sitting behind us decked out in the home team’s gear and colors. Mom had glitter on her face, young daughter had stars all over her team jersey, and their son wore a cap and jersey, wore glasses reminiscent of Squints in The Sandlot. After a foul ball in our area got us all chatting, they asked if we were from the team’s home town. We said no actually, we’re from Colorado and here to watch our son. They looked at eachother (“Colorado” gave it a way) – is your son Jack? (proud mom smile) – “Yes!”

Honestly like a scene out of a move, they looked at their son who had a ball in in his glove – he pulled it out revealing an autograph. His dad: “is that your son’s autograph?” Ha! “Absolutely!” Their son lit up. His dad continued… “Jack had that great hit last night in the 8th inning, 2 run RBI – and after the game he signed this ball for Jake!” The look on Jake’s face…it was all I could do not to burst into tears.

Just this – this look, this boy, this moment is everything baseball has to offer us all. Hope, joy, curiosity, wonder, ecstasy, doubles, triples, home runs. You take the disappointments: the strike outs, taking a ball on a bad hop, the slumps, the bean ball. It’s life: the cheers, the jeers, the sad tears the joy you can’t describe tears (Hello Venezuala!) It’s just this: the chance to BEGIN AGAIN.

Here’s to Jake, here’s to the simplicity, the child like wonder: a boy’s joy of a player not him up and the equal joy of that player at being asked – to scratch out his name on a baseball.

May we all embrace the chance to begin again – a new season, a new start, another day and with it – anything (everything) is possible. PLAY BALL!

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Aug 06 2015
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Baseball, Life lessons, On the bleachers, What I've learned

The Kids Are Alright

To quote Cher in Moonstruck: “SNAP OUT OF IT.”

As they say: time flies. I think I started this blog quite a few years ago…my boys were in the thick of youth sports and the antics, experiences and observations of coaches, players and parents prompted this blog. I have notebooks, digital reminders, and scraps shoved into file folders with topics for blogs. They’re coming – I promise. But let’s face it: managing a household, a business, a dog and a blog is a challenge. But I love these stories and as you are my witness – I will get back on the blog bandwagon – ’cause really, it’s fun. But I digress.

As I finally take to the keyboard for a long-overdue entry,  I am faced with the joy, angst and reality that one of my own young athletes that inspired these stories is about to head off to college. The sporting life continues though, he’ll be playing baseball as well as stumbling into that wondrous world of quasi-adulthood and psuedo-independence. Exciting times.

He’s not alone of course. Most of his peer group is choosing the same traditional move from high school to a 4-year college. The kids are alright. But there is definitely anxiety, hand-wringing and tears, but not so much the kids. As usual, it’s THE PARENTS.

Don’t get me wrong – clearly this is a milestone for parents too. Especially if it’s your first-born. I mean, I shed a few tears when they trotted across the threshold of Kindergarten (wasn’t that literally yesterday?) and I can assure you I’ll shed a few as I drive away from his dorm two weeks from now.  But the all-consuming angst that seems to be devouring many of my contemporaries seems, well, slightly out of proportion. Kind of similar to say…YOUTH SPORTS PARENTS!

But honestly, can you blame us? We have been in this over-involved lane for more than 10-years now! Can we really be expected to disengage at this point and just be satisfied with the fact that they made a good choice, it’s the right fit, they’re legitimately excited to be starting this new phase of life? No. We cannot. Because it NEEDS TO BE ABOUT US. But hope springs eternal. We can do this. I know it. Say it with me. “We. Can. Do. This!”

So listen – when the big day arrives, hug him a few seconds longer, run through the checklist with her one more time, linger in the dorm room – get a good cry in on the way home. But before that day and after that day please: Snap out if it!

 

 

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