Each spring after the South Dakota winter finally melted, I played softball during my school lunch hour. As noon approached, I packed up my books in anticipation of charging out the school door. I flew home on my bicycle, gulped down a sandwich, and dashed back to the school. With Mom’s help—she had the crucial job of having lunch on the table—I could accomplish all that in under fifteen minutes, leaving 45 minutes to play ball. During those days I dreamed, What could possibly be better than playing sports professionally?
But
is professional sports an idyllic job? Ask Marion Bartoli, French tennis star
and this year’s Wimbledon champion, who retired from her sport this week.
Listen to the list of injuries that the 28-year-old was struggling with:
“injured left foot, right ankle, right hamstring and Achilles tendon injury.”
With tears streaming down her face, she explained her decision: “My body was
really starting to fall apart.... I have
pain everywhere after 45 minutes or an hour of play.... I've been playing for a
long, long, long time, and it's time for me now."
Our job as
parents is to help our children discover their unique calling in life. God
designed them for a purpose and their dreams are part of the path they take to
find that calling. Though a few will be called to a sports career, not many
will. Giving children a realistic picture of the sportsworld, may help them
discover their particular giftedness.
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