It recently dawned on me that due to various circumstances, like the Coronavirus, this summer may be the first time I take my youngest daughter to a baseball game. I hadn’t given this much thought, but when trying to plan out some summer activities the other day I realized, “Man, I may actually be able to take Leila to her first baseball game this year.” Needless to say, this newfound realization has me all kinds of excited and nervous.
The excitement is obvious, I’m looking forward to sharing an important part of my life with one of the most important people in my life. Baseball has meant the world to me throughout my life and taking my youngest to see a game will represent yet another way that baseball has remained enmeshed in every facet of my existence. Just thinking about sitting in the stands with her, laughing at silly mascots, trying to keep her safe from foul balls, watching her enjoy the game; it all makes me so very happy.
What if she doesn’t like it? Sure, her first game will likely be a Milwaukee Milkmen game and they will have distractions like their mascot Bo Vine or the traveling ZOOperstars that she will enjoy regardless. What, though, if she doesn’t enjoy the actual game? My mind was, initially, all aflutter with worry that she would not enjoy the game that has meant so much to me. Then I took a deep breath and I realized, that doesn’t matter very much.
Maybe she will love baseball, or maybe she won’t. If she does it will be one more way that baseball will continue to be a driving force in my life. If she doesn’t well, then we’ll keep searching for some sport, artistic activity, or form of entertainment to enjoy together. She will know that I love baseball and that it’s ok that she doesn’t. Maybe she will return to baseball at some point, or maybe the two of us will discover that she really loves basketball and that will become our thing. Perhaps she will decide science and the stars are what she really wants to share with me.
At the end of the day, while I want to share baseball with my daughter, it is ultimately her journey that I am on. Baseball may end up being a regular stop on the journey of her life or it may be a temporary stop that leads me down paths I never thought possible before. Either way, the dad in me is looking forward to taking this next step, after all, her journey has become one of the best parts of my own journey.
Lead photo courtesy of Unknown – Seattle Mariners
