Defining success

Thanks for sharing. You have raised a fine young man, our prayers are with your family.

twotex,

Thanks for sharing. Give yourself a pat on the back for raising such a great kid who clearly understands what is most important in life. He will be a success at whatever he does.

Wow - that post hit me emotionally. My grandmother was probably the one who believed in me more than any other person alive and I still rememeber her as if it were yesterday. We lost her to cancer in the mid-70's as she was only 55 years old and I was just a boy of 15. Your post brought all those memories and more back to me.

Your son of course is a hero and blessed to be able to do what he has done. There are lots of posers out there who have played pro sports or who have gone to the finest schools or who make lots of money but their money and notoriety can never out-do the character that your son has. It indeed is the definition of success.

Merry Christmas

God Bless her soul Twotex. That's a fine young man you've got.

I went thru a similar experince with my son when my father died two and half years ago. Be proud that your little boy has grown into a compassionate and loving man. You have much to be proud of. You are in our prayers.

quote:

Originally posted by twotex:

"Over the past two weeks I have watched my 17 year old son make time for his dying grandmother. He wheeled her around in her wheelchair at the nursing home, and kissed her and told her that he loved her. He went back again after she took a turn for the worst, when she first failed to recognize him, and was again tender and kind to her. He'll never play in the MLB. He won't get in to Harvard. He may never play college baseball. But he's a Hall of Famer in my books."

Twotex, thank you for sharing this.

The qualities your son is showing right now are the most important in life. You should be proud of him, and pat yourself on the back for doing such a good job raising him.

I'd like to think that the game of baseball (in particular, but all athletics in general) helps to impart some of the life lessons that mold such an outstanding young man, and it probably does - but not nearly as much as the example, love, and guidance of a parent.

In the end, what I want out of this game for my son is to help him become something your son clearly has already become, and to have a passion for the game that he can enjoy the rest of his life, as I have. Everything else is truly, truly secondary.

Congratulations for the good work with Job #1 in raising such a fine son, and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you move through a difficult time.

Twotex,

Thanks for sharing. Sometimes those cross-generational bonds are hard to understand. the only piece of jewelry that my 15 year old son wears is a 1930's mvp baseball medal that his great grandfather gave him before he died 5 years ago. He still gets very sad every year when February rolls around. I keep telling him that in the distant future when his time comes he will be able to play baseball with his great-grandfather and a few of his friends (Ruth, Gehrig, and Dimaggio)

Twotex,

I agree with everyone, thanks for sharing. It's evident that you've raised a fine young man, and you've chosen an appropriate name for this thread...Defining success.

I feel the emotions in your post and can relate. On a personal note, my grandparents passed away a few years ago. They helped my mom raise me and my siblings, and I had lived with them off and on throughout my youth. When they retired and their health began to decline, I began taking care of things around their house. I took care of their yard, I shopped for them, paid their bills, took them to the doctor as needed, and ran other errands. I did this for about ten years...as my mom lives in South Dakota, and was unable to help out. I made sure that my son and daughter took the twenty minute drive with me to visit their Great-Grandparents as often as possible. It wasn't always exciting, and frankly, they were bored...but years later, they understand what I was doing, and I know they'd do the same for my parents.

Yes Twotex, your son is a success. Thanks again, and best of luck to him during his senior year of high school.

twotex,
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
It was just 5 short years ago at this point that Hospice allowed our family to share the last few days with my Father.
For a very young man, our son has experienced far too much death of those beloved too him, including a college coach in 2002 and teammate in 2003.
As I watched our son help infuse such comfort to my Father, I knew those would be times never forgotten.
Now, one of our son's closest friends is sharing Hospice with his Mother in her last days battling melanoma. On Sunday, I took some things to their house. While there, I learned from our son's friend all the things our son is doing to support them, behind the scenes.
One of the most touching was having each person in their group, who have now been the closest of friends since 1999, write a short email to Eric's Mom.
Eric shared how his reading the emails/letters from all "her boy's" brought such a smile of joy into his Mother's face, which far too often is ravaged with pain.
There can be nothing more gratifying than the love, dignity and respect your son is bringing/infusing into days which are passing too quickly.
Please give your son a hug from me. I don't know him. I still would love to share a hug with him.
Thank you.

Kay, that is a beautiful post. Thanks for sharing and my thoughts are with you.

We just lost my mom (I still miss her every single day) in March. They live in North Carolina. Both my kids made me proud in how they supported me, and my dad, and my 6 siblings at that time.

My 94 year old dad now lives for all the updates from his grand and great grandkids; and my son loves to share his baseball stories. I would so love to have my son play anywhere near that part of the country so I can get my dad to just one game .... he doesn't travel much.

Count your blessings that your boy is able to be with his grandma on a daily basis. I know what you are going through now is so very hard.

Mary

twotex,

I am sorry for what you are going through, as many of us know it is not easy. It is qualities like your Son's in times like these that make parents proud.

quote:

This experience has reminded me that what I'm doing as a parent is trying to raise a responsible, caring, competent man, who when he is 25 and 30 and 50 can feel good about who he is, regardless of how long he played or how much money he's made.

Well put! I have always felt that you can measure the character of a child or adolescent in your case, by watching how they interact with both the youngest and eldest members of their family! But, of course, that reflects directly upon the parenting skills of their parents.

Nice job and here is hoping only the best for the remainder and the coming New Year!

Nice Posts!! Prayers for you TT.

twotex

Thanks for the important reminder.

I could say IMO, but this is not an opinion, it's a fact... There are many things that are much more important than baseball or money.

Congratulations for teaching your son that and congratulations to him for learning it.

Thanks, all.