MB1 #6 - Mother And Son

The relationship between a mother and son is a unique love. A mother protects her son from the world. She makes sure he is happy and healthy. Teaches him how to care for others, to love, by her actions. As her son grows, he begins to find the conflict between the love shown him by his mother and the bigger world he eventually has to enter. He begins to see the world in the way a boy does, in order to fit in with the other boys around him. From here, the fight and confusion begins. His mother understands since she's taught him from the time he was a baby. And as he grows and changes, she continues to teach him and remind him, always understanding, always waiting for him to see.

       Aaron spent the rest of the afternoon recounting his time with Matt and how well he threw, as well as how Shalene was there for him. “Mom, I've never known it, but Shalene helped me to see what it was about pitching that made me so afraid after I lost it.”

       His mom's interest peaked. She saw the spark in her son's eye that she hadn't seen in such a long time.          With a sly grin, she asked, “You finally figured that one out, huh?”

       He sat studying his mom who's expression displayed her understanding.

       Aaron's mom added, “I've known for quite some time your issue and how it's linked to your dad.”

       “Really?”

       “Yep. I just could never get you to see it.”

       Aaron thought back to discussions with his mom but couldn't think of a time when she had mentioned him as the reason for his difficulties getting back into baseball. “When did you bring dad up?”

       “When? Every time. You'd act like I hadn't said anything, so I let it go.”

       “I don't remember.”

       “When you started talking about the teams calling and asking for you to come back, do you remember what I said to you?”

       Thinking, Aaron shook his head.

       His mom asked, “Do you remember I told you how proud your dad was of you?”

       “Yeah. No matter what I did, he was proud.” Aaron responded.

       “That's what you heard, Aaron.” Before continuing, Melinda shook her head slowly and added reflectively, “You are your father's son, no question about it.” She then smiled and continued, a peace coming over her, “Aaron I told you how proud your dad was of you and how much baseball was a part of you both.”

       Aaron thought, as if in a daze. He knew she wouldn't lie to him, and part of him seemed to recall the words, just not in the way he heard them at that moment. After the talk with Shalene in the car, Aaron now saw how his mom had been trying to help him see what he couldn't. Helpless, he looked at his mom. “How did I miss that for so many years?”

       “Because you weren't ready for it. Now, you're ready and Shalene seems to be a part of that.”

FINAL NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: The best compliment of a woman just might be that she could help a man see something his mom had seen all along.