I've never seen the movie "The Bucket List," but the concept is simple- the things you haven't done in life that you want to do before you die. Everyone has one, mostly in their mind. Some things on the list will take time or money (climbing through the Alps, maybe?). And other things should never have taken so long, but when you finally scratch it off your list, it still makes you feel as good. This is one of those items.
I have been to hundreds of baseball games, and not one of them had been with my Dad, inarguably my first baseball influence. Through circumstances beyond my control, my Mom and Grandfather were the ones who took me and Mary to games. My Dad gave me my love for the Dodgers, explained stats, history, baseball cards, watching and listening to games, everything baseball- except the physical act of going to a game together. It's amazing, looking back, that I didn't further question this paradox. But my Dad was sick during alot of my childhood, and as an adult, time and distance just pushed it to the back of the line.
Then the last couple of years it had really started to bug me- why weren't we getting to a game? It was time- so I put my idea to my siblings, and we picked a Dodgers game in Philly to celebrate my Dad's upcoming 55th birthday.
And on this past Tuesday, my Dad went to his first game in nearly 40 years, and got to see his favorite team for the first time. And all 6 of his kids, his daughter- and son-in-law, and 2 of his grandkids got to share it with him. It was mostly unspoken, but something that I think we will all look back on as one of those little things in life that means so much. And much, much more important than climbing any mountain could ever be.
1 comment:
awesome. I couldn't imagine not going to my first football game without my dad. long overdue, but well worth it i'm sure!
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