Yesterday was the last practice of the spring baseball season for the Diamondbacks. Sadly, I had to miss it, because I had a mediation (one of my own cases) that didn't settle until late in the day. Afterwards, September and I had to file a Response to a Motion for a hearing next week. Busy at work, as always.
When I arrived at Harding Academy's athletic fields - secured by Oliver and Thomas for the last practice - the boys had just finished the annual end of season water balloon fight and were chasing each other around the soccer field and track. When they saw me walk up, wearing a suit and tie, several of the boys ran over, pointing and laughing. I smiled as I realized they had never seen me dressed for work.
After a rough couple of days at work, it felt pretty good to have several of the boys want to give me a hug or a high five when I arrived. Little things like that make all the work I've put in with boys over the year worth it, and then some. As I took in their smiling faces, I forgot about work completely. That was a gift to me, for sure.
One of my favorite boys, Henry S., ran up to show me what he was wearing. An avowed Vanderbilt baseball fan, Henry had on a Tennessee Vols' t-shirt and hat. With a giant grin on his face, he asked me where I'd been, then told me he'd worn the t-shirt and hat for me. Honestly, as I write this, I'm tearing up a bit - sitting in Dose w/my morning coffee surrounded by a cacophony of voices - thinking about Henry and the look on his face yesterday when I noticed what he was wearing.
Sometimes, in games he's catching, I hear Henry tell the pitcher, to "win this pitch." That's something I tell the pitchers, too. He's heard me say it and, now, he's repeating it, at just the right moment. I love that kid. He's in my hall of fame of boys I've coached.
Those two stories, to me, are Henry in a nutshell. Earnest. Innocent. Sweet. Coachable, always coachable. Hard working. Serious. Fun loving. Competitive.
Henry is everything you want in a kids as a coach. Truthfully - and I think his dad, Matt, knows this - he's everything a father would want in a son. That's why he's in my hall of fame.
I stood by myself for a few minutes and watched the boys frolicking on the soccer field. Playing tag. Playing some game they invented on the fly, where one boys through an empty water bottle in the air and the others tried to catch it. Running laps around the track for no apparent reason, fueled by the unbridled joy of youthful innocence. 9 and 10 year old boys without a care in the world.
It was damn near perfect and I didn't want the moment to end.
I talked with a few of the parents and discussed plans for baseball this fall. Joe and I lingered in the parking lot after everyone had left, talking with Oliver and his son, Preston. We said our goodbyes and drove home.
Life is beautiful sometimes, isn't it?
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