Playing catch with my Dad

 

   

   Ever since I was little I remember playing lots of sports. In fact, I probably played every sport (Football, Baseball, Soccer, Tennis, Swimming, etc). My favorite of these sports was never the same as it changed depending on the season. In the fall, my favorite was soccer, and in the spring it was baseball. My dad was a big reason that I got into all these sports. In fact, I probably would've played close to none of them due to how laid back my mom is. They are complete opposites; my dad, the passionate “coach mentality,” while my mom, the caring, “mother bear” looking out for her cubs. My dad has always been passionate about sports and wanted to share his love for sports with me my whole life. Starting at six years old I first started playing baseball on the Rosedale rec team. From there I played travel/club ball and later for the Middle School "A" Team. I was so excited to make the team and see all my hard work over the years pay off. The countless hours my dad spent with me hitting me grounders, throwing me bp, and playing catch. Throughout the house balls, socks, and anything that could fly was being thrown between me and my dad. It was some sort of game inside a game. I loved it! 

However, Jennette McCurdy's experience was a little bit different. Similarly, her mom introduced her to something she loved, acting, at six years old. However, she did not enjoy acting and later hated it resenting her mom for making her do it. I mean Jennete’s book was literally titled “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” Her mom’s love for acting was the focal point of the book and pictured how she manipulated Net’s life so it would be her “love” too. However, Net showed disinterest in acting multiple times and even showing her mom her “real” love for writing by sharing with her the play script that she wrote, but Deb, her mom, shut her down. The play script is just one example of Deb manipulating Net’s life and creating insecurities in her that she would live with forever. McCurdy's mom shared her love of acting with Net similar to my dad sharing his love of baseball with me but her mom’s way was very unhealthy while my dad’s was a healthy way of sharing something he loves.

My dad and my relationship with baseball is the complete opposite of Net and her mom’s. Ours is a harmonious mutualistic relationship white Net and her mom’s is an antagonistic selfish relationship where only her mom is benefiting. Net’s blind love for her mom causes her to not speak up for herself and refuse her mom’s manipulation but instead accepts it as a way her mom is showing her love. Net’s justification for her mom’s actions are ultimately her own downfall into addictions and mental illnesses (OCD, anxiety, etc.) and if she only just spoke up for herself she may have avoided all the anguish.



Comments

  1. Mr. BarronJanuary 31, 2024 at 6:09 AM

    Lovely tribute to your parents. You're lucky to have what you have. (Quick note: It's "my dad and my." "I's" is never a word.)

    ReplyDelete

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