I have a boy I love. Haha. I actually have five of them. But one has a particularly tender spot in my heart. Don't tell the rest. They all have their spots too anyway. But, it's because he has natural talent and true humility (among other things). One of his first basketball games, he scored 22 points and we were not there to see it. For whatever reason, for years and by multiple coaches, he was overlooked. He and his older brother were pine brothers. I cannot begin to understand it. I felt he was as good as any player out there, he just needed the opportunity. This boy also has a tendency to not believe in himself. For years I have tried to nurture a spirit of confidence in him and slowly it has paid off, but on occasion he slips into the, "I'm dumb, poor me" mode and I ache that he cannot see his own fabulousness. Is that a word?
A couple of years ago, I introduced him to THE SECRET. We watched it a few times as a family and taught them all the power of our thought. I taught them that in the scriptures, it is called the Law of the Harvest. He took to that. And he began planting little seeds of greatness. His senior year his big break came. We had a new principal in town, the basketball coach "retired" quite suddenly. And our principal became the coach. He had a pretty great basketball career himself. He took one look at my boy and he saw it. Chris became his go to player. At first it unnerved him completely. He did not have the experience of some of the other players on the team. But the coach saw it. And he began to nurture it too.
The other day my son told me that at every game during the national anthem, he would say in his mind, "I am strong. I am confident." And most of the time he played that way. He was instrumental in several games. He had big plays at big moments. He had a season we always knew he could have and we always wished he would have. They finished second in the state and we were so happy with how his senior year ended with sports. We were so grateful to a coach who finally took what he had and made him better.
Fast forward. The boy is now in college. For all intents and purposes he has one year of playing experience. Sure he practiced for seven years. More importantly he lived success in his mind. Always shadow shooting, imagining big plays, seeing himself as a player in his imagination. He signed up for Institute basketball and a few weeks into the semester signed up for an EAC basketball class run by the assistant coaches. Oh, this is a good idea, I tell him. He plays his Institute games every week and is having a blast. And he is having tons of fun in the class. Before he signed up, they all got to try out for the team. Oh well. A few weeks ago the assistant coaches ask him if he'd be interested in a spot on the team. Hmm, let me think a nanosecond. YES!!! Well, you won't be able to play, but you can travel and suit up and practice. OK, we're all just thrilled.
This week he has gone from, maybe we will consider something more for you in a few weeks, to several players being busted for illegal substances, to head coach asking him if he would be interested in suiting up. Hmmm, let me think for a nanosecond. Ok. No way! Why wasn't I trained in gymnastics so I could do some flips and roundoffs? They want him to play tomorrow, but the forms and permissions he needs, may not be filled out in time. So, we will see what happens. I am stunned.
A few weeks ago when he was home, he was not very positive about his studies, particularly math, and I shared with him Phill 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” I told him he needed to add "I am smart" to his other affirmations. Here's hoping he will have the same kind of turn around in his studies. As a mom, you hope for the dreams of your children to come true. If he never gets any farther in basketball than this, we will all just be extremely excited that it happened at all. It truly is a miracle what has occurred for him. I hope that as his confidence grows that he will be able to apply it in all areas of his life. It will sure come in handy when he leaves on a mission in a few months.
