Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Boys of Fall

At work every morning we get "Today's Video" to kick start our mornings. Some are funny, some are sad, some are goofy. Toady's was emotional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI

It is Kenny Chesney and the "Boys of Fall". My oldest son, Robby, was one hell of a football player. He played from the time he was in fifth grade. All we heard while he was growing up was that he was going to be a professional football player and that he would always take care of his Momma.

Everything went according to plan. He played Varsity football all through high school and landed a full scholarship to play college ball. Throughout this time he also enlisted in the Kansas National Guard. It never dawned on us or him that the two would not work well together. The summer before college he went through basic training in South Carolina. While his team mates were summer training he was training to be a Soldier. He graduated basic training on a Friday and reported to summer training on Sunday. He turned 18 later that same week. Due to lack of summer training he was red shirted. This means you maintain your scholarship but you don't get to actually play. You still practice but not at the level you would if you were a true member of the team. Whether it was to many changes at once, homesickness, lack of discipline, disappointment, etc we will never know.

The first semester was also the last semester. I still remember the phone call. "Mom I am going to quit school." "Are you asking me or telling me?" "I am telling you." There was no further conversation. He quit at semester.

As I watched the video they talked about football being an emotional game. They talked about playing like this was your last football game ever. That's when the emotions welled up. They talked about that feeling every Friday night. We all know that feeling it's not just the players that feel it. But you never know when it is the last game ever. You never know when the dream dies. This doesn't just apply to football it applies to life.

Right now Robby isn't thinking about football. He is thinking about survival. He is currently in the Horn of Africa with the Kansas National Guard. He will be there until next year. So as the tears well up at the loss of his football dream they also well up because I am one proud Momma. I love him dearly and I admire the sacrifices he has made for our country. May God Bless the Boys of Fall and all our Soldiers that will pursue their dreams and for those that have lost them.

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