The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same

It seems like just last week we were watching our son Pete on the baseball diamond as my inner monologue told him he was playing too close to second base (he plays shortstop) or that he was not keeping his eye on the ball as he swung.  But that could be because it WAS last weekend that we saw him playing for his college club team.

I coached Pete’s little league teams from T-ball through junior high school, so it is a little surreal to be back at the baseball field.  Sitting in the bleachers this last weekend, I was recalling the cadence of those weekends in the fall and spring many years ago, with practices on Saturday and the games on Sundays.  Some kids (okay, maybe a few) listening to every instruction and most of the others chasing a butterfly or paying attention to anything but the ballgame.  We had no idea that an activity we recommended to burn off some energy and instill some discipline and teamwork would continue almost 20 years later.

College can be a daunting experience both educationally and socially, and the club team has provided him with a great activity on which to anchor his week.  The time commitment requires him to effectively manage his free time but has also provided him with a great network of friends.

While it is wonderful to see Pete still enjoying an activity, we shared for so many years; I don’t miss 10-15 elementary school kids all asking if they can pitch the next inning or bat leadoff.