It's something I preached to my kids as they were learning to drive. It's something that was preached to me when I was learning to play softball. Apparently I didn't learn it well enough, or forgot to think ahead. I am getting older so I can blame age I guess.
I had knee surgery about 5-6 weeks ago. It was great. Cleaned up and repaired whatever I did when I hyper-extended my right knee stepping off a curb. Yes, I missed a curb and ended up with surgery. I mentioned above I was getting old. Anyway, best surgery I ever had. Quick recovery. Knee feels better than it's felt in a long time. Bought a knee brace to wear when I played ball because it is weaker than my other leg. I've been taking it easy at the ball games. Playing infield mainly. Not running multiple bases unless I knew I'd get to the next base with no issue. Haven't slid or anything. I've been good. Until last night.
We were short players so I played outfield. Knee felt great. It really isn't giving me any problems. And I think I only got 1 ball in the air all night (which I turned over the wrong shoulder on and it tipped off the end of my glove). It's been raining a lot this week but the fields weren't the slick mud, more that sticky stuff that sticks to your shoes doesn't make for good sliding. First game my hitting sucked. First time I've been on the ball field in 3 weeks and I'd only played a couple of games all year because of my knee injury. No excuses, I sucked it up. I was 0-3 and they weren't even good hits. I'm talking pop up on the infeld, soft grounder to the short stop, true sucky hits. 2nd game I was determined I was doing better. Which I did. I went 3 - 4 with some decent hits. After my 2nd hit I was on first and the guy behind me hits a good one to left field. somewhere in my head I forgot to think ahead. I listened to our coach tell me to go to 3rd. My mind still feels 20, I had this. Forget that the left field had a cannon for an arm. I round 2nd and never slow down (I'm short, old and fat don't think there was a lot of speed going there, slow the imagination down), I'm going to 3rd no problem. Catch movement out of my peripheral vision and realize, Oh Crap that ball is going to beat me to 3rd. So in about 1 second, and 2 strides reality hits. It's sticky dirt, I can't risk sliding feet first if my brace or my cleats hang up I'll twist my knee. I can't go head first I'm to old and fat for that and I'd be sliding right into his legs and a tag. So in that moment of indecision and trying to slow up and figure out what to do my knee gives out as I'm trying to figure out what to do.
Picture a 5 foot tall, very middle aged, plump lady running at her top speed and toppling over head first. I landed hard on my knees and then rolled on down to dig my chest into the dirt and come to a dead halt, face first in the dirt wondering if I'm dead or not because that hurt like HELL! Not just physically but my pride. I just busted it in front of everyone playing and it wasn't a graceful fall. I can slide. I can slide well. It was the moment of indecision that started my plummet. It's like life. You have to give it your all. Go for what you want. You can't stand back being wishy washy or other people will snatch up your opportunities. Live life to it's fullest because if you don't you'll always have regrets, or wonder what could have been. I know that 1 second of "what am i going to do?" caused me to fall. Doesn't matter how often you preach it, you gotta practice what you preach. A lot of people will say, I shouldn't have been playing ball. That's a way to get hurt. That's how you mess up a knee again. True, so what I'm suppose to sit on the sidelines in a rocking chair doing nothing wishing I was still out there playing. Hopefully I'm never that person. Now I do need to practice what I preach and think ahead. I should have planned ahead and should have thought out what'd I do if I had to slide. Or better yet not put myself in that position. Our name is old school for a reason. I may be the "youngest" of the old people but I'm still one of the old ones. As we determined last night, most of us were veteran ball players before the players we played against were even born. We play smarter not harder. I forgot that for a moment last night and I'll pay for it for a few days. But I'll be back smarter than ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment