Dear Spike:
The e-mail came at 4 p.m. from my friend, Liz. Her kids were starting a new soccer season. And she was wondering if I was interested in coaching.
Just one catch... “The games start tonight.”
You’re going to make a lot of decisions in this life. Sometimes you’ll make those decisions based on a lot of thought, discussion, prayer and contemplation. And sometimes you’ll just let your heart decide.
For me, the latter method of decision making seems to work out about as much as the former. Indeed, the two best decisions I ever made were made with a whole lot of heart and not much of anything else.
I didn’t do too much thinking before asking your mother to marry me. One day, I just decided I was going to ask her. And that was that.
And we didn’t do too much thinking before we decided to have you. One day, I came home and said ‘let’s have a baby.’ And that was that.
I’m not advising that you always — or even often — make important decisions without a fair amount of contemplation. By and large, that’s probably not the best way to do business.
But not every decision is as as important or life-altering as getting married or having a child.
Someday, your heart may tell you to dance. So dance.
Someday, your heart may tell you to climb a mountain. So climb.
And someday, your heart may tell you to quit a job. So quit.
Today my heart told me to take on a new soccer team. And so by 6:30 p.m., I was on the field with my new team.
Train your heart to make beautiful decisions by letting it make small decisions. When it comes time to make the big ones, your heart will know what to do.
Love,
dad
5 comments:
I have been reading your blog for a little over 3 weeks and I cannot get enough! I love it! I love how you write and I love all of the heart you put into every post! You are amazing! And I think you will be a great father with great advice! Please keep writing as I am exteremly addicted to your page. I even read it now before I get my morning coffee. I never thought I could be more addicted to something else! Thanks! You are truly an inspiration!
And ... how was the game?
Wow, thanks for the sweet words, Kristen. I think it's amazing that Spike has all these friends who read her blog -- including some that we've never even met.
The game was pretty bad. For some reason in this league they start playing games before they start practicing. It's not a very competitive league, so I guess it's not a big deal, but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me to throw a bunch of kids on a soccer pitch before at least giving them a chance to understand the game.
We'll get better, though, cuz I'm gonna run those little tykes until they throw up! Yeah soccer!
Before I finished reading the first paragraph, I knew that you would say yes. It's not just Spike's mom who's a teacher, you are a teacher too. And a good teacher can't say no to an opportunity to teach what they love. I'm glad you listened to your heart.
Grandma L
Ha! That's what I get for falling behind on my fave blogs...I get mentioned, and I don't even know it.
You'd all die if you knew how this sweet soon-to-be-dad scares the bejeezus out of his soccer team...but not unlike dogs, my kids sniff out a good heart when they see it.
Coach "Spike's Dad" rocks!
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