I always love a great baseball game. How much more slice of Americana can you get than a simple pleasure of watching the boys of summer play ball??
Being a mom of three, it's often hard to just get some one on one time with each of them, especially my boys. I mean, mother/daughter stuff is a bit easier to do, and God so blessed me with just one! Today I was able to take my oldest to a game, just he and I. I want to make this an annual thing for us.
Yes, we cheer for the home team. Win or lose, we are Twins fans. There is just something I adore about this team, other than the fact they are the home team. I love watching how they interact with each other and the fans. I love their enthusiasm for the game even if they aren't above .500! I am often reminded by others that the Twins are on a losing streak, or even "they suck." Well, we can't win them all, and last I checked, team work wasn't all about who wins in the end. Someone has to be the loser, and part of life is learning how to lose gracefully, learn from what went wrong, and be willing to get back at it again and make it better!
Would we tell our own children, "hey, you really sucked tonight." or "wow, you guys aren't worth what you're paid." I'd hope not. Remember, these players are some body's kids too. Now, I'm not saying that sports players don't get paid enough, because, quite frankly I believe when equated with those who give of their lives or hold our lives in their hands, it isn't the same. It's entertainment. BUT, that is a whole other topic and not one that I really even care to get into. Getting back on track, I really have a hard time with those who want to only pick out the bad in something. Yes, the Twins lost today. They had some critical mistakes and didn't connect the bats like they should have, but did that make for a bad day? Heck no! I got to sit next to my son, talk about the nuances of the game, cheer when the going was good and even heckle when the umps seemed to have forgotten to put their contacts in. We also talked about how much fun it was even if they didn't win and it isn't always about winning. I wouldn't want my children to always feel the pressure that they need to be the winner. Yes, winning is fun, but it is an added bonus. Playing your best is what counts. Maybe they didn't play their best, but maybe it was their best for that day. Tomorrow is a new day, a day when they can improve, to get back out there, face the same opponent and play better! Winning is great, but it isn't everything. And to a kid, if that's the message they get, we are only setting them up for a lot of pressure and disappointment if they never understand it's ok to lose and that we'll be there to support them none the less. I'd say that's a win!
Life is good, get on with it!
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