Take A Rip And Give It A Ride!

The score was 8-3 in the last inning. With two outs already the home team wasn't feeling very confident, and then it happened. The next player up to bat got a base hit. Then the next guy got a hit and so did the next. The hit parade was on and things were becoming quite interesting. Soon the score was 8-6 with a runner on second base and one on third base. The scrawny little kid who batted ninth in the order was thrilled with what his team was doing. He was loudly cheering them on from the safety of the dugout. Soon his cheering stopped and his heart started beating rapidly. It was at that moment that he realized it was his turn to bat. He had all the confidence in the world in the other players on his team; it was the confidence within himself that he wasn't so sure of.

How many of us have ever felt this way? We are so confident that others can do things that we couldn't possibly do. In my profession I have met many kids who have felt this way. They have been trotted down in life and told that they don't matter. Their parents have absolutely no expectations for them except for to fail. Never do they hear a word of encouragement or feel as though they can be successful. Their minds have been so polluted with phrases such as; "you can't do it" and "just give up" that they lack any desire to even try. While talking with these kids they give me the "why should I try" attitude because nobody at home cares if I am successful or not. Many of these kids end up having trouble with the law or drop out of school. What is it that will save these kids before it is too late? These kids need to be around positive people that will encourage them and say; "yes you can" and "don't ever give up".

As parents we should have the greatest influence upon our children, but if we lack common sense and decency to encourage our children, I hope that they can find it elsewhere. We must take the Army's slogan "be all that you can be" and run with it. We must instill this thought into our children's minds every chance we get. We need to encourage them in a non-forceful manner to reach their full potential. I truly believe that the day will come when we will be held accountable for how we have encouraged our children. I hope that we can all do our best to help our children. We can't make our kids be successful and happy, but we can provide them with the encouragement they need to get there.

Let's go back to that nervous baseball player. As he walked to the batter's box his coach pulled him aside and gave him these words of advice; "relax, have fun, take a rip and give it a ride". The first pitch this scrawny kid saw came directly at his head. He moved out of the way and fell to the ground but quickly jumped up and readied himself for the next pitch. The next pitch he saw met the sweet spot of the bat and hugged the foul line as it skipped over the third base bag and rolled into left field. This scrawny little kid stood proudly and confident at first base with the score knotted at 8. Before too long this number nine batter made it safely home scoring the winning run and was carried off the field by his team. I know this scrawny little kid fairly well and he has never forgotten the words his coached told him that day. He tries to remember those often and tries to apply them to his life.

I hope that as parents we can be like this coach and give advice as simple as relax, have fun, swing the bat and make the most of your opportunity. At times our kids will have fastballs coming at their heads but they mustn't let that keep them down. We need to encourage them because sooner or later that perfect pitch will come and they must have the confidence to "take a rip and give it a ride".