The good thing about staying up so late is that once it hits midnight, my brain just goes off on tangents about stuff all over the place. Trips, girls, sports, quotes, what certain foods smell like, what cats in pajamas would look like, everything. I’m now 17 days away from my 21st birthday and tonight’s tangent is about all the things I’ve seen, done, and have had happen to me. From my first awesome memories to the most recent ones that I’ll remember forever. If I tried to rank them, I’d lose years off of my life. So let’s just start from the beginning.
Family first.
I saw two sisters pave the way to make life easier for the baby prince. From sitting with me on the bus to prevent me from getting bullied, to making it easier for me to get a tattoo by enduring all the anger and disappointment from my parents after getting hers. Critiquing me on how to dress and showing me what music was cool, what hair style looked good, and where to take girls on future dates. The Pioneers.
I saw a Dad who showed me the ropes on every sport known to man. Whistling Nerf footballs flying over the pool or the sweet, sweet POP that the rawhide makes when it hits a leather glove. Planes, trains, and automobiles to various places ranging from Pittsburgh to Florida. A guaranteed fan at every sporting event I have ever competed in whether it was a 9am baseball game in the fall or a 7pm swim meet in Amity (Amity feared me). From stealing hats to wear in elementary school, to borrowing dress shoes to wear for my High school graduation. I’ve never seen him not lending a hand. The role model.
Lastly, I saw a beautiful women who took every challenge ever given to her and make it her bitch. She was presented with a baby girl and immediately thrown into the fire of becoming a parent.(I didn’t see that) The learning process is hard but when it’s all said and done, it’s worth it. Four years later deja vu hit, another baby girl.(I also didn’t witness that.) One wasn’t hard enough so here’s another one, hope you saved some hand me downs! Three years later she was faced with yet another challenge. Two girls? That’s too easy, here’s a 10lb 11oz behemoth of a boy!(Technically I saw this) Let’s see how she fairs with this... and she won yet another challenge. Not a single day without dinner on the table or a freshly made bed in all 3 rooms. She’s seen our glory, our heartbreaks, our rage, and she’s never failed to get us past it. Ever. The unsung hero.
I’ve seen people I thought I’d never like, become my best friends and I’ve seen people I shared everything about myself with, become exiled.
I’ve seen a baseball team filled with misfits catch fire and roll through the playoffs only to lose in the championship. I saw a team who couldn’t be touched in middle school, crash and burn right in front of the finish line. I witnessed a team realize they were special after their first practice, make sure every other team was contempt with fighting for the runner up trophy. I’ve seen a team of sixteen year olds upset the best team in the league and hand them their first loss of the season in the playoffs, in my first year ever as a coach.
I’ve seen a ball get thrown to me and then quickly leave my hand in preparation for a tag that would eventually lead to a 4-3-2 triple play. I’ve seen a ball leave my hand from the outfield and beat a runner to home plate to win a game. I would have traded either of those to witness a ball go off my bat and over the fence. I’ve seen 8 batters on the state’s best team consecutively walk back to the bench due to a shitty fastball. I’ve also seen a final list of players not bear my name, three times. Each time the pain was worse than before.
I’ve seen a kid taken in by a team of mostly strangers, welcomed with open arms to a brotherhood for a sport he had never competed in before. I’ve also seen my fellow teammates and coaches shocked by a kid placing first in races he wasn’t even favored in, and then sat back and laughed at their confusion when they realized he did it with his eyes closed because his goggles were filled with water. I’ve witnessed his heartbreak after swimming to a 4th place finish in his last ever race. I’ve seen blood and tears shed on multiple baseball fields, and even some pee in the pool.
I’ve seen some of my favorite athletes just inches away from me. I’ve sat in seats where people witnessed history hundreds of years before me, and I’ve sat in a cold seat in September where I witnessed a base hit punched down the first base line give the New York Yankees a brand new all time hits leader. I’ve watched from two rows back in amazement as Tom Brady drove all the way down the field and won a game that just minutes before had flat lined. I’ve seen my favorite football player put his arm around me and make fun of my friend for shaking while we took a picture with him. I’ve sat with my Dad and watched a National Championship hockey game live. I’ve seen my face on the jumbotrons at Citizens Bank Ballpark, Camden Yards, both Yankee Stadiums and Madison Square Garden. I’ve sat in my room with a smirk on my face after listening to myself on the radio. I’ve seen some of the biggest names in country music and I sat front row for Kanye West.
I’ve seen girls come and go.
I’ve seen palm trees, cottons fields, and farms that could have fit at least 48 fields of dreams. I’ve seen a kid run away without warning to the West Coast just to explore what it’s like. I’ve seen the Space Needle even though I have an extreme fear of heights. I’ve seen the Pacific ocean and I’ve snorkeled in the Atlantic. I’ve seen the disgusted expressions of people when I told them I wouldn’t be attending college as well as the confused look on people when they hear I’ve done all off this without a license. I’ve seen two promotions in a profession I’d never dreamed about having. I’ve seen myself try and do right by others and I’ve witnessed as I’ve broken hearts and let people down with my idiocy. I’ve seen grudges and fights and friendships that were thought to be dead, be brought to life. I’ve seen stupid mistakes and incredible bravery. I’ve seen a friend who used to drive soldiers around, now drive six year olds around. I witnessed myself tweet my way into my first job as well as tweet myself into incredible friendships. I’ve seen every member of my family cry.
I’ve witnessed weird stretch marks on my back, I’ve seen ink go into my arm as well as blood be taken out willingly. I’ve seen bruises surface out of nowhere and I’ve seen bones break. I’ve seen one USB hold twenty years of epilepsy tests on myself. I’ve seen results saying I’ve ranked in the top percentile of my grade for writing. I also saw myself flunk my journalism class the next year.
I’ve seen my sisters leave only to come back. (Probably due to the lack of their brothers jokes) I’ve seen my family own multiple cars and I’ve only ever hated one. I’ve seen friends say their first words to family members and I’ve seen them say their last words. I’ve seen some incredible people and I’ve only ever seen one house as my own. I’ve seen friends tie the knot, and I’ve seen others untangle that knot. I’ve seen pictures get hundreds of likes and followers go from 1 to 800. I’ve witnessed myself become and man and then quickly transform back into a child. I’ve seen quotes change the outlook on my life drastically and I’ve seen movies that have made me make decisions of a lifetime. But the best thing I have ever seen, is the look on my family’s face when I have made them proud.
It’s scary and beautiful to think about the fact that I have seen all of this stuff, and I’m still years away from the quarter mark of my life. I’m grateful.
