First day of spring, let's remember who we are...and who they are

[Bat Dad]

It's a very easy temptation in the world of travel sports to see our DDs as having a singular focus, after all this is probably one of the things that they participate in more than anything else. It's easy to get caught up in the training, pitch speed, bat speed and pop times. It's fun to look at coaches polls and to look at pool play brackets and potential match ups. It is so very easy to get swept up in the heat of the long June days and the heat of competition, and looking at an ever depleting bank account. I sometimes wonder if we are guilty of framing our DDs pictures with nothing but a softball border. Sometimes I can be guilty of that and my child is only 10.
So what I'm going to do this year is I'm going to have a print of this picture and I'm going to keep it with me at every single tournament. It will be a constant reminder to me that my fearless little competitor was, and in many ways still is, a little girl who wants nothing more than to be pushed on a swing.

Bat Dad

 

[yossarian]

Well said. So many are so obsessed about this game and achieving their ultimate goal of getting their kid into a college uniform that they lose track of the bigger picture of life.

 

[wow]

So true. I find myself looking back more so than looking forward! Try this while listening to "Butterfly kisses". Will make anyone tear up no matter who you are!

 

[cobb_of_fury]

So true. I find myself looking back more so than looking forward! Try this while listening to "Butterfly kisses". Will make anyone tear up no matter who you are!

Worse yet - how about a little Steven Curtis Chapman's "Cinderella" [video]https://youtu.be/nrWMBC6yoME[/video] to get the tears going.

 

[yossarian]

"And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon..."

 

[Bat Dad]

... OK I meant to give a thumbs up to everyone who was nice enough to reply to this post but somehow I am giving Thumbs down instead? Why is it when I hit the green button for thumbs up it gives a vote for thumbs down? Am I the only one dense enough that's having this problem?
Apologies to anyone that might have otherwise been confused and or offended, certainly was not my intent

 

[allcorners]

Nope...I give you a thumbs up and it worked.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

... OK I meant to give a thumbs up to everyone who was nice enough to reply to this post but somehow I am giving Thumbs down instead? Why is it when I hit the green button for thumbs up it gives a vote for thumbs down? Am I the only one dense enough that's having this problem?
Apologies to anyone that might have otherwise been confused and or offended, certainly was not my intent

BD - I Wondered about the Thumbs Down but assumed you were just not a Steven Curtis Chapman fan - and I was cool with that

 

[Bat Dad]

Cobb so I just hit the green button to give you a thumbs up on what you just posted But the red "dislike" thumb is lit up. Someone please advise before I lose the few damn friends I actually have lol!
And by the way, the song you referenced I have in a CD case on my mantle

 

[daboss]

Cobb so I just hit the green button to give you a thumbs up on what you just posted But the red "dislike" thumb is lit up. Someone please advise before I lose the few damn friends I actually have lol!
And by the way, the song you referenced I have in a CD case on my mantle

Hold your pointer over the number and see if your name is on the naughty or nice list.

 

[daboss]

Many of you know I lost my daughter last year. Shelby was 29yrs old but trust me it still hurts. I read this thread and reflected on my past with her. Some/many of our happiest times and many life lessons for both of us came along during our past in fastpitch softball. I was a single foster father. Grew up in a house full of boys. Shelby came to me after her mother asked me to keep her for a short while till she could get herself back on her feet while she dealt with a serious problem with alcohol and drugs. I had to grow up myself and learn how to be a father AND a mother to an 11yr. old girl. Our time at the softball fields gave us a common interest that can never be replaced.

Shelby didn't want to simply "swing" on the swings. She wanted to see how high she could get. Cherish the time. Enjoy the ride. Be understanding when things go wrong. Help her learn the people skills to understand others. Point out the life lessons that mirror real life situations to the game but make sure she understands that in real life there can be consequences. In softball the game is over with the last out.

 

[tjsmize3]

There goes my life -- Kenny Chesney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP-Sxfntdb4

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Cobb so I just hit the green button to give you a thumbs up on what you just posted But the red "dislike" thumb is lit up. Someone please advise before I lose the few damn friends I actually have lol!
And by the way, the song you referenced I have in a CD case on my mantle

I think were cool now -

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Many of you know I lost my daughter last year. Shelby was 29yrs old but trust me it still hurts. I read this thread and reflected on my past with her. Some/many of our happiest times and many life lessons for both of us came along during our past in fastpitch softball. I was a single foster father. Grew up in a house full of boys. Shelby came to me after her mother asked me to keep her for a short while till she could get herself back on her feet while she dealt with a serious problem with alcohol and drugs. I had to grow up myself and learn how to be a father AND a mother to an 11yr. old girl. Our time at the softball fields gave us a common interest that can never be replaced.

Shelby didn't want to simply "swing" on the swings. She wanted to see how high she could get. Cherish the time. Enjoy the ride. Be understanding when things go wrong. Help her learn the people skills to understand others. Point out the life lessons that mirror real life situations to the game but make sure she understands that in real life there can be consequences. In softball the game is over with the last out.

DB - I wish there was something to say to this - May GOD Bless you - It's easy to forget how fleeting this all is and how fragile people are Keep your loved ones close and try to love as many as you can.

 

[tjsmize3]

Many of you know I lost my daughter last year. Shelby was 29yrs old but trust me it still hurts. I read this thread and reflected on my past with her. Some/many of our happiest times and many life lessons for both of us came along during our past in fastpitch softball. I was a single foster father. Grew up in a house full of boys. Shelby came to me after her mother asked me to keep her for a short while till she could get herself back on her feet while she dealt with a serious problem with alcohol and drugs. I had to grow up myself and learn how to be a father AND a mother to an 11yr. old girl. Our time at the softball fields gave us a common interest that can never be replaced.

Shelby didn't want to simply "swing" on the swings. She wanted to see how high she could get. Cherish the time. Enjoy the ride. Be understanding when things go wrong. Help her learn the people skills to understand others. Point out the life lessons that mirror real life situations to the game but make sure she understands that in real life there can be consequences. In softball the game is over with the last out.

I am so sorry!... thanks for sharing with us, it is something we all fear as parents everyday. God bless you.

 

[Irish196]

I'm sorry for your loss. Good advice.

 

[coachjwb]

Daboss ... I don't know you personally, but I feel like over the years I have come to know you some here, and had no idea you had gone through such pain. God bless you and your family, and thank you for everything you do for the softball community. Your story certainly can help others keep their perspective ...

 

[Bat Dad]

OK, now that I got my ridiculous technical issues solved with regard to the like and dislike button on my iPad, sorry for any feelings I inadvertently bruised when indicating thumbs down when I meant thumbs up...

That being said I'm still trying to process everything daboss wrote. After a lengthy illness back in 2002 I lost my wife of 12 1/2 years at the age of 36, I was 34. I did not think that anything could come close to the pain of the loss. I got remarried shortly after and next thing you know I'm a parent, and fast forward to 2017 I'm my child's custodial parent after a divorce.
As horrible as losing my spouse was at such a young age the thought of anything ever happening to my child is 1000 times worse. I can only imagine what my wife's parents went through as I was obviously coping with losing her in my own way.
I don't think any of us get what it's like to be a parent until we are actually a parent and in that instant everything we thought we knew about wife gets completely turned on its side.

Daboss there is no way I can even conceptualize what your loss feels like. I can only imagine it's like having your entire world go dark without seeing a path forward and God knows I don't think that I would be able to find a path forward from something like that

Thank you for sharing your story and reminding us of what all of this means and giving us some much-needed perspective that I think all of us can use from time to time. I wish you some measure of peace if that is even possible.

 

[softballmom2000]

Many of you know I lost my daughter last year. Shelby was 29yrs old but trust me it still hurts. I read this thread and reflected on my past with her. Some/many of our happiest times and many life lessons for both of us came along during our past in fastpitch softball. I was a single foster father. Grew up in a house full of boys. Shelby came to me after her mother asked me to keep her for a short while till she could get herself back on her feet while she dealt with a serious problem with alcohol and drugs. I had to grow up myself and learn how to be a father AND a mother to an 11yr. old girl. Our time at the softball fields gave us a common interest that can never be replaced.

Shelby didn't want to simply "swing" on the swings. She wanted to see how high she could get. Cherish the time. Enjoy the ride. Be understanding when things go wrong. Help her learn the people skills to understand others. Point out the life lessons that mirror real life situations to the game but make sure she understands that in real life there can be consequences. In softball the game is over with the last out.

daboss, I am so very sorry for your loss. Too often we get caught up in the rat race of life and forget to cherish every moment. Thank you for reminding us. May God bless you!

 

[heater]

Nice feature Daboss! I didn't know that thank you!