A Day With The Family

Even though I would love to make a living doing the activities I enjoy the most, I know that I'm not able to spend every moment of my life hunting, fishing, hiking, taking photos and playing in the outdoors. Unfortunately for most of us the daily grind requires that we spend the bulk of our time working for someone else and doing household chores that otherwise wouldn't get done. Although my wife and children enjoy spending time in nature as well as I do, sometimes there are other experiences they would like to take part in. It's not always about hunting or fishing, but rather about spending quality time with the family.

Today is one of those days. We decided to take our children to a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium to see the Kansas City Royals play against the White Sox. Inning after inning it seemed as if the Royals would lose this game.

We watched during the 9th inning with the Royals looking like they were finished. The score was 7 to 1 in favor of the White Sox when the Royals finally began to turn it around and begin bringing in one run after another. They went on to take the lead for the first time in the game, and won with a score of 8 to 7 by the time it was all said and done. There is always a way to make your way to the top if you just don't give up!

This game helped me to explain a valuable life lesson to my children. I explained to them that "although there are times when everything seems to be crashing down and a positive outcome seems impossible, giving up will only ensure that you fail. However, If you don't quit and you give it your all, there is always a chance to win." Every child should hear these words on a regular basis as growing up is difficult and there are many times in their lives when they feel like giving up is the only option. Failing to try will only lead to failure.

This lesson can help in all aspects of our children's lives from school to adventures in the great outdoors. You won't always get the result you're hoping for. You may not bring home a stringer full of fish, or manage to hit the animal you are targeting. Your adventures might get rained out, but over time you will be successful if you choose to never give up.