Soul, soul, sweet soul

Last night was the awards ceremony for Jack's Rec and Ed soccer team. It was at a lovely house with lovely food and drink. Clint and I sat at the dinner table with the assistant coach and we talked about our kids and their skills. He told of the first day that Jack went to practice and how all the boys jumped up and dogged piled him while chanting his name. The coach said, "wow, this boy must be good!" I said "no, my boy just has soul!" During practice did the coaches find out our Jack was meek and shy and NEVER had played soccer before that day. The first day of practice, Jack was so intimidated that he never wanted to go back and part of me wanting to protect him from feeling like he wasn't good enough, wanted to keep him out as well. Clint and I told him that he at least had to get through the season but to tell us why he felt like he did. He went on to explain that he wasn't as good as the other players and didn't like being goalie. I could totally relate. A few weeks into the season we were driving and we had T with us and Jack was telling him how he didn't think he would be playing next season and without hesitation T said, "You have to! Do you remember how excited we all were when you came to practice that day? We want you on our team!" My heart flipped and I thanked God right then and there for kindred spirits that surround us with kind words and encouragement.

Later in the night when the coach was handing out certificates he told of the same story of how Jack was mobbed when he set foot on the field and how he thought the same about that boy being a top notch player for them all to swarm him like that. He went on to say how Jack has improved from the beginning and that he hopes he can count on him being on the team next year since he is so much a part of the teams' moral.

That's our boy. Sweet as pie and a heart full of gold. Even if you can barely get him to utter 3 words to you - you can tell he's full of goodness. All I hoped for came true - That he felt a part of something even if he wasn't the quickest, the loudest, the best - he brought what he could to the table and wasn't chastised for what he didn't bring. He brought nothing but himself.

I asked him after the party if he wanted to join soccer next season and without a second passing he said "Yeah!"

With support that builds him up instead of knocking him down - he has only one place to go and that is up up up! Way to go my Jackie boy!