You Get to Play Again Tomorrow

Advice can come from anywhere and anyone and any time. You just have to listen carefully.

A great observation about coping with unexpected challenges came from my son, Andrew. He was 12 years old.

At the time both he and his brother played baseball on a rep team. Lots of regular season games during the week and tournaments around southern Ontario on the weekends. This particular weekend we travelled to Stratford.

Trip started around noon Friday afternoon. Lived in Mississauga at the time. Wanted to beat the traffic and get there early for the early evening game.

After the usual pre-game drill, settled down to watch the game.

The team played well. Pitching was good, fielding solid. But the boys couldn’t buy a hit that evening. Ended up losing the low-scoring game.

In the car later that night on the drive home I of course offered my usual ‘armchair coach’ critique expert that I felt I was…not!

Me giving advice, the kids quiet, tired, not paying much attention. More interested in playing Tetris.

Somewhere along the 401 with the innocence of youth, and in a bid to shut me up, Andrew casually uttered, “I understand you are upset that we lost, Dad, but we get to play again tomorrow”.

Stopped talking immediately fortunately.

"You get to play again tomorrow".

Those words have stayed with me over the years. Have gotten me through some tough times. It is good advice for the challenging times we are currently experiencing.

Yes, sometimes despite your best efforts you loose. Did your best, did nothing wrong. External circumstances beyond your control. You’re out!

But unless you have committed a crime, you do get to play again tomorrow. Life provides opportunities for getting up, dusting yourself off and moving ahead. May not be exactly as it was before, but if you listen carefully to what you really want to do, you do get to play again tomorrow.

Thanks Andrew.