What If....

I was driving without the radio on today (The subject on talk radio was obese children...I do not have a child living at home and the one I have is not obese) and was thinking about what would life be like if we chose "A" over "B", "Left" over "Right", "No" instead of "Yes", etc. We make choices every day and we do not give many of them much thought...we just react.

I am not saying I am unhappy with my life...on the contrary, I love my life. I was however, wondering what would be different in my life if I had made different choices when I was younger. Would I still marry the person I am with today? Would I be in the same career? Would I live in the same state? Drive the same car? Like the same things? Interesting to ponder.

Try it sometime. Go back as far as you can in your memory to a choice you made and mentally make the other choice. Now follow the chain of events, knowing what you know about life and the choice that you made. Let me give you an example:

When I was a pre-teen, I tried out for little league baseball. We were poor people, so my mitt was a hand-me-down and I wore sneakers instead of cleats. We lined up on the field and started toss the ball back and forth to practice throwing and catching. I guess I caught the coaches eye because he put me on the mound and had me throw a few to him. "Give it some heat, Honda (calling me by the letters printed on my shirt). Fire it at me."

I did what was asked of me and he gave me a funny look. "Do it again, harder this time."

I obliged. He smiled. He said to the assistant coach, "I think we have a found a natural pitcher here with Honda."

The next few weeks, I was groomed as a pitcher. I was clocked with radar (my pitches were), and I was tossing the ball pretty fast...something like 75 mph, but I had a control problem. The coach told me that we would work on it but if I improved, I could start the first game. I was elated. I was going to pitch in my very first sanctioned baseball game.


The day of the game arrived and I warmed up, feeling pretty good. My control was still off, but I was sure I could make it work. When the time came to throw my fist pitch, fear grabbed me and I began to doubt my ability to throw a fast pitch with any control. I hurled a few rockets that were over 75 mph but they had no control at all. Coach told me to dial it back and I did. Much more control, but a lot slower. I cannot remember much about my pitching, but I know I lasted an inning or two before my arm was a little tired. I could have warmed the bench but I was put in right field for the remainder of the game.

A short pop went over the first baseman's head but not far enough to reach me and I had to scramble to get it. I started to throw the ball and I heard two sets of instructions...one from each of my coaches, each telling me to do something different. I was confused and not knowing what to do, I threw it someplace different...too far. The third baseman jumped, but he was kinda short so the throw was quite a bit over his head. The other team scored and it was my fault.

At the end of the inning both coaches tore into me. I deserved it, because I did not listen.

The next day that we had practice, I made one of my important choices. I did not go back. I had an inferiority complex as a child and could not face the team. The next 2 days, the coaches called and asked me to come back. They wanted me back and told my mom and dad that I had a natural gift for pitching. However, I refused to go back. After 3 missed practices, you were cut from the team. I did not pick up a baseball mitt again until my freshman year of high school and by then, my skills had degraded so much that I was horrible at any aspect of the game.

Now, had I made the choice to go back to little league and learn how to play properly what would my life be like today? Would I be a pro baseball player or in the minors? Would I have played in college? Would have I even gone to college?

I would like to think that having natural talent at such a young age and having proper guidance would have groomed me to play high school and college baseball. That would have opened the door for the possibility to play in the minors or maybe even the major league.

While all that is very appealing, I know that I am happy with the choices I have made. While the opportunity for fame and fortune is appealing...I am sure that it is not me.

The possibilities are endless.