Skip to main content

Losing the crown.

There are few things I enjoy more than a, "hey Dad, wanna go throw around the lacrosse ball?"  It's a double benefit to me: 1- it says they still like me and 2-says that this game means something to them (something I worked really hard at as a coach).  So yay for me.

So he runs down to the HS and I drive.  We toss the ball around on slightly damp grass in the fading sunlight, closing out a fun weekend (Ian ran XC in cromwell, boat got docked for the winter).  It was a nice quiet time with nothing but the sound of strings and ball working together and idle chit chat of a father and son.

And there it was - it occurred to me about 2/3 of the way through: he's better than me.  His passing and catching have surpassed my ability.  He throws hard and accurate and his moves are more fluid.

Yes, I am an out-of-shape old man.  Yes, I've not played competitively since the 90s.  Yes, I taught him everything I know, so I should be proud (and part of me is), but my head drops in lament that he has overtaken me.

Maybe I could get back into shape, throw the ball more, find a wall, start a pick up game.  Sure, but Ian's still on the upswing - he'll only get better with time.

My knees and back (boat and hurricane prep at the Yacht Club) remind me I've not seen that upswing in a decade.

Wear the crown with pride Ian.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

todays survey

Since you all have done so well with the past two surveys I've taken ( another shirt slogan for Dad and do you get full eating salad or just bored ), here is another: If you eat, say, a bag full of fortune cookies - and I am not saying I have - do they all come true or just a first/last rule? Do they all negate if you eat more than one? Anyone? Bueller?
3 comments
Read more

And now we are One!!!!

Who would have thought: you would keep reading after day 3? I would keep writing after day 2? (see http://robertwmason.blogspot.com/ for reference) that you would get anything out of this? that I would get anything out of this? that I would make 250 posts into this thing..? And "get" I did. Last month, I signed my first contract for a writing position (in my free time) with a Rhode Island magazine. I used many excerpts from my blog as samples and they dug it, enough to want to pay me. I am very excited about that. A big thank you to all of you that keep reading that misadventures of my family, friends and I. The journey thus far has been fun and giving you a bird-eye view into our lives is weirdly fun. At first it was like walking around naked, now I am a full fledged nudist; so to speak. In looking back over the first year, I live like a king. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of reflection to see how good you've got it. Usually this hits me on business trips and ...
2 comments
Read more

How I'll probably die

My new thing has gotten me running, yes running, the past week without complaint and without watching the clock. Unfortunately, the high-risk fringe sport will probably have Ian find me at the end of the treadmill runway, twisted, with a guitar slung from my neck. What is it you ask? Some kind of Mariachi Marathon? Close. Running while playing Guitar Hero is the greatest thing since running with my buddy Jeff. Come to think of it, that really was just running with someone calling you, "fatty" the whole time, but I digress. Running while jamming on guitar trying desperately to keep up with great hits like "American Women" and the surprisingly fitting, "Band on the run". See what I did there? Anyhow, it is freaking amazing. No longer are my eyes glued to the maddening clock. No longer am looking at data (which I seem to hate when it is counting my exercise), I am playing a game. I am a Rock God when I run. Now, I know what you are thinking. Being a...
3 comments
Read more