Those were the days...

I took some time yesterday and threw a softball around with my cousin Kenzie. It brought back so many memories. I remembered how I was always playing softball everyday when I was younger.
I can remember leaving practice and wanting to quit. I would leave mad cause I had a few bad throws or hits. I wanted to be the best ever...Never quite made it there...But i do remember long rides home after games. Scraped elbows, bloody knees, and on several occasions, broken pride. I remember squatting behind home plate and telling my pitcher to burn it in to me. I remember thinking "this runner is gonna bulldoze me".."gotta get low and tag her quick"...yep, those were the days.
When I would step up to the plate, the whole in field groaned..and the outfield backed stepped. The pitcher got nervous, for you see, at that time, I was the only left handed batter. "Never swing at the first pitch" I'd tell myself. "Don't settle for a walk"..."Crack it out there"...the sound of the ball on that bat, and i was gone, half-way to second before it ever came close to the ground. I'd round second and dive into third. After the dust cleared, nothing but a smile on my face waiting for my chance to steal home. Or..I'd jog to the dugout with my head down knowing I should've ran faster or dove lower. I didn't play cause I loved it...I played cause I couldn't live with out it...yep, those were the days...