Cup O' Joe 2 Go

#reverb10: Moment

After being invited by my partner in crime, Michael Ramm, I have joined the parade of bloggers and writers participating in this year’s Reverb10 event. Reverb10 is a month long writing event in which writers “reflect on [their] year and manifest what’s next.” The organizers and selected authors send out prompts or topics for everyone to write and reflect on.

Ali Edwards presents today’s prompt

December 3 – Moment.

Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

My moment came as a process that culminated in a moment.

I had a player who has autism on my youth baseball team this past summer. Julian is a special boy. He is very loving and hugs me every time I see him. I always seem to manage to have one player on my team each season that either has a disability, or has a difficult family situation.

I am personally fine with this. As much as I love my friends who coach other teams, some are more concerned with winning than anything else. For those coaches, special kids like Julian are a burden. I see these situations as an opportunity to invest. I have always told Melody that I would rather have a kid like that on my team, and perhaps not have the best team, than for that child to play for someone else who would not treat them right.

If you pay close attention, you will notice that children with disabilities have a unique ability to sense whether you genuinely care about them or not. Perhaps it is a defense mechanism they have developed. But if you genuinely care, they know it, and respond differently to you than they do those whom they do not sense such caring.

I had worked very hard with Julian on his swing. My specialty is teaching hitting. It is what I do. I typically surround myself with coaches who can work with the other areas so I can focus on hitting. One thing my teams consistently do well…it put runs on the board. Julian not only presented a challenge, but also an opportunity to help Julian experience some success at something. Julian’s swing was very awkward, and it was difficult to keep him focused…but there was something to work with…and that is what I focused on.

As the season progressed, it became clear to everyone who saw us play that Julian was different. Before long supporters of both teams started to root for Julian to get a hit. It was not unusual at all for Julian to hit the ball. But it typically rolled to the first baseman or the pitcher for an easy out.

One hot Alabama Saturday morning, my team played a tough opponent. Julian as usual was at the bottom of the lineup.

In his second at bat, he came up and immediately got two strikes on the board. His first two swings had been rather weak and half-hearted. So I walked about halfway down the third base line, and told Julian to lock on to baseball with his eyes, and “swing that bat like you mean it.”

The next pitch came in and Julian swatted it between the first and second basemen into right field. Julian had got his first base hit. He was elated. The fans from both teams were so happy for him. I think I had a couple of coaches who could not hide their emotion, and I had to work really hard to choke back the tears myself.

It was priceless for me to see the joy in his grandfather’s face (with whom Julian lives). Vernon loves Julian more than life itself. He offered to help coach to help manage Julian in the dugout. He was such an asset and has become a good friend.

Julian actually went on to get a few other hits during the rest of the season, once he knocked in two key runs in a game we came from behind to win.

That was one of the most rewarding moments for me this year. Not because of the work I put into it, not because of the joy I experienced in it.

It was rewarding because…a special little boy who has spent his whole life knowing way too much about the word “can’t”…for that moment…understood the words “I can”.


  1. jasonechols posted this