This morning as I walked out the door to go to work, I could hear the birds chirping happily in
the early morning sun. The snow was starting to melt, the sky was deep blue, and I could feel
spring in the air! Springtime means many things for different people. It’s a time of renewal for
the earth, and a time for new hope.
For a lot of people, springtime means baseball/softball time! Feeling the bat in their hands,
hearing the ball crack against it, and their feet running through the dirt… for some, there’s no
better feeling! And to hear the roar of the crowd makes all the hard work and effort pay off for
them.
I remember watching my kids in their first games. They were little and unsure of themselves.
They didn’t always get the play time they wanted, or the position they liked, but they were
happy to be part of a team. Little by little, their skills improved. However, so did everyone
else’s! Their coaches put them last in the batting line-up, giving them even less experience.
They became frustrated because they wanted to learn the game and improve their skills, but it
seemed to them that they weren’t given the chance. After a few years of this, they decided that
they didn’t like the game very much. The skills seemed to be ingrained in some kids, and sadly
lacking in mine.
Lucky for us, there are a lot of choices for spring and summer activities! They learned to swim,
ride bikes, and rollerblade. They played with friends and cousins, and visited grandparents.
There were water fights, parades, and rodeos to attend. They watched their friends play
baseball and softball and were supportive of them. They learned that it’s possible to have
different interests and still be friends. Finding what you like sometimes requires finding what
you don’t like!