bouncing back.

It’s funny…
The things you learn while trying to impart wisdom on a child.

Sometimes, if you’re paying attention,
it’s you that needed to hear what you said.

It’s softball season and this year* that means I have THREE girls getting dirty on the field every week.  It means farmer tans, bruised legs from sliding and lots of fun.  It also means our competitive side is out in full force.  And that?

That’s all from me.

My mini-me is solid at first base on her high school team and a captain this year.  She excels at everything she does, it’s kind of amazing.  But here’s the thing…when she strikes out or her solid hit deep into center field is caught…it stays with her.  (and that’s also all from me)  You can see it on her face as she heads back in to the dug out, it’s crystal clear as she’s working her way through the next inning.  If it’s bad, you can still see it when she’s home, showered and getting through her homework.

I’ve played and coached long enough to know that you really can’t tell a hard core player that it’s just a game, get over it, it was a solid hit met by a great defensive play.  So I went a different route.  She needs to work on her bounce back.  To be the best player she can be, she needs to bounce back quicker.

I’m starting to see a direct correlation from one’s level of happiness to their ability to bounce back.  Strike outs happen.  Life kicks you in the shins.  People disappoint and hurt you.  How quickly you’re willing to let it go, put it away and move forward, how quickly you can bounce back, determines how happy you really are.

As I look at my own hang ups, the situations in life that have been tough to bounce back from or at people around me who hold on to a grudge or insist on staying hurt…it’s amazing, really.  The things we hold on to can really keep us down.

Perhaps it’s time we all work on our bounce back.

It’s funny, isn’t it?
The things we learn while trying to impart wisdom on our children.

*Originally written in 2013