The Dance

Baseball season has begun. I love baseball. Not playing it...watching it. Stephen had his first game yesterday...first game as a high schooler! How can that big kid up at bat be my son?? He was the starting pitcher and I could not have been more proud.

My neighbor told me yesterday about a 17 year old Notre Dame football recruit that died a few days ago. Apparently he fell off a hotel balcony while on spring break in Florida. He also was apparently drunk. Oh, does my heart go out to his family right now. This kid had his whole life ahead of him and a lot going for him. Just senseless. And so sad that this families tragedy is now a lesson I'm trying to teach my son.

When you are 15, like Stephen, or 17, like this boy, you aren't thinking about how precious life is...like I am at 42. You are not thinking that just one little mistake can cost you your life. I get it. I was 15 once too...believe it or not. But now it's my job as your parent to guide you, to worry about you, to pray that you make the right choices...and then...to let go. I feel like parenthood is this dance of pulling them in and letting them go. This dance gets more challenging as kids get older, I'm learning. He is not dancing as closely to me as he once was. He's dancing by himself more. And someday...he'll be dancing with someone else.

It's fun to dance fast....as long as you stay in control and don't lose your step. But, maybe we could slow the music down a little ....it's a bit too fast for me right now.

*Say a little prayer for Matt James and his family today....and dance with your kids.