For the past 13 months, I haven’t been able to hug a single one of my four children or six grandchildren. I never in my life thought that would be an issue, but then I never in my life imagined I would be living through a worldwide pandemic that has killed nearly 3 million people worldwide so far. And just here in the United States alone more than 560,000 people have died.
It has been a
game changing year for me for sure. I no longer worry about getting tickets to go see a
ball game, I just want a ticket to go see my family. But there is a light at
the end of the tunnel now that vaccines are available, and I did get to go see three
of my grandkids over the weekend. I didn’t get to hug them, but I did get to
stand out in the front yard and talk with them and one of them had a surprising
request for me!
My 13-year-old granddaughter, Andie Rose, asked me if I would break in her new baseball glove for her. She and I have played catch before and apparently, she really likes it because she got herself a brand-new Rawlings HFP12 baseball glove. How cool is that!
I took her glove home so I could oil it, rub it, place a baseball in it, and then drive over it with my truck. That may sound strange but it’s a great way to stretch out the leather and form a nice pocket in the webbing. Then the secret is to play a lot of catch so the glove molds to your hand. You want to be able to squeeze it, but it’s got to be able to hold its shape.
And that got me thinking… Everything we experience in life is helping to shape us and mold us. We may be suffering through a life changing pandemic that feels like we’re getting run over by a truck, but I truly believe we will come out better and stronger when its over. And I may not be able to hug my little Andie Rose right now, but I can still help mold her and shape her by being a smiling and positive example for her even in the tough times. Come to think of it, how could I not smile… when two of the things I love most… come together!
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