(Christian and Jason Ready To Begin Season – J Ready To Repeat as CIF Champ)

2/22/15

“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.”

So what I need to impress upon you, if you have not already started to understand, is that significant and frequent deviations from plans for your future goals will be more difficult and sometimes impossible to rectify as time moves on.  Because of your youth, you’re not removed far enough to truly understand the concepts of “regret” and “remorse” but you older boys might be getting a taste of it as the quality of your high school efforts become exposed for their true value as you move forward.  Choices of what you do, choose not to do, forget to do, or put off doing hoping to make up later, tend to provide objective measurements of what’s been accomplished, what still can be done, and what may have been lost!

I know you’ve heard all this before “ad nauseam” but I hope you are beginning to better realize that much of what you thought was ahead of you is starting to either happen now or get a hell of a lot closer.  I mean college is on the horizon for Cole and Jason which will be the steppingstone towards your initial significant personal and professional lives.  That scares the shit out of me if only thinking about what you have done to date, what still needs to be done, still can do, and what you will need to make up to ensure that you are in the right place for the best things to occur.

Time is starting to speed up if you guys haven’t noticed and probably more so because baseball generates quicker movement of your days given the additional demands beyond the normal requirements at your age.  Here’s big questions for Cole and J: Think back to when you started high school and your thoughts of where you expected to be, where your at now how, and how close you are to that place.  Is there anything you would do different if you could to get closer to that spot?  Is there anything you didn’t do or put off resulting in modification of your dreams?  And if you did modify or alter those dreams, did you uncover anything about yourself that you should have discovered sooner to re-certify your commitment and dedication to those dreams and muster the courage to keep those dreams alive?  Welcome to maturity and potential regret!

Crap, those questions terrify me when I answer the same questions in looking back!  I don’t need to repeat the story about why I decided not to go to USC after going through orientation, putting it off for stupid reasons thinking I’d get back there in due time some day.  Time ran out on my return, the road became so much harder with no guarantees, the journey that much longer, and somehow I stumbled my way through law school to become a lawyer.  I regret not finishing while my Mother was alive to see it but I still had one of the greatest moments of my life:  walking up the aisle after graduation, catching my fathers eye, and both of us raising our fists in the air in victory and relief.  He left me 3 months later but at least I fulfilled his faith in me when many others weren’t so sure.

Boys I want to be there for as many of your great moments and like I said, don’t live like it’s your last day but like it could be mine because I’ve been so darn close and I’m that damn selfish!  “All the time in the world?”  That’s an abstract myth that can no longer be utilized to justify not doing what needs to be done RIGHT NOW!  Jason I’m so proud that you raised your grades and your practice SAT scores are improving because that’s a strong measurement of your conviction and drive towards some of your ultimate goals.  Mom and I are finding ourselves being further removed to the sidelines and you should start utilizing this time to exercise self-fulfillment and self-evolution.  The same goes for my oldest “son” Cole (and Brady too) because as a senior, you’re closer to the ladders you’ll have to climb, if you choose, to reach the heights that you, your family, and I see you climb.  Don’t let us down!

So the time is NOW for you older boys and Christian and Brice are watching you closely to serve as examples of what to do and what not to do.  Welcome to part of your legacies!  I’ve said this to you J before: don’t just aim for a college because they want you but, what YOU want and is best for YOU because that should be part of any plan.  That should apply for relationships, jobs, etc.  If you boys only felt what I see in you (actually I think Christian has an idea because he’s so darn confident), you would attack the opportunities not only available to you but those you could create with some ingenuity.  Just my “two cents” as usual.  As a junior, you have this summer to really formulate and actuate an effective plan.  Don’t take the easy route because most people do and there’s a lot of competition just to land in the “average” category.  “Courage” is an overused description for mundane and ordinary achievements but it does take a lot of courage to not only have plans for lofty goals but to remain committed and determined to fulfill them and that’s where only the elite of “YOUR WORLD” can reside.  You have the power, control that power, own the outcome, and are answerable for the results, so serve as the “god” of your dreams!

Last quote: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there!” Will Rodgers.  Never be caught taking lazy steps!

Addendum:  Cole is playing baseball at Marrymount College and Jason will be playing at Santa Clara University.  And Christian?  Just wait and see because I know he will not fall short of the dreams he has envisioned for himself.  He’s pretty damn good!