What I have learned.
The baseball journey can be disappointing as well as rewarding. The ups are enjoyable, the downs are excruciating. If you can stay healthy, more than likely you will be rewarded. Even when you get a great shot by being a full scholarship guy or a high draft pick, if you can't stay healthy, after awhile, no one really wants to deal with you anymore. Our player has been in those situations many times.
The day that son decided he had enough with those nagging injuries and off season rehabbing he decided to return to Clemson to finish his degree. My husband was devastated. I mean really, not a little but a lot. I gave him the old speech many times about how it's not his journey, Dave drives the bus, we are only along for the ride.
However, that was the beginning of the best journey we could imagine. While being offered some really nice lucrative opportunities, he decided to make the baseball field his office. Better yet, we both seem to enjoy this ride a lot more than some of the others he has taken us on.
We are older now, our priorities have changed, but it's fun watching son continue his journey as an adult making great decisions, all while still being a student of the game. He still has a lot to learn but has made great goals for himself, and I don't doubt that he will achieve them.
This topic is now 15 years old. I love hearing about all of your sons journeys, kind of disappointed that some folks never share who they really are or about their sons. That's their priority to do so.
There will never be a better topic on this site than this one.
Lots of kudos to Floridafan for his gutsy post. The end of the journey is tough, but when one door closes another always opens. Our sons are who they are because of baseball. But don't let that define who your son or sons are, just love them for who they are, with or without baseball.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. And always remember to enjoy the ride. No matter where it takes you!