I'm sure that there may be one or two of you out there wondering who Tom Walker is. Tom enjoyed a brief but reasonably successful 6 year major league career during the 70's with 4 teams, the majority of which he spent with the Expos.
You may be a little more aware of his currently successful son....
3 for 3 with 2 RBI's today. Batting average finally starting to creep back up to where's he been the past 3 seasons (low .270s to .296 in 2010). His 2 stints on the DL this season certainly didn't help with his consistency, but he's finally starting to get in gear. Another hot bat in August for the Pirates will help to break the 20 season streak of sub .500 seasons, which I'm sure the Pirate franchise will be all too happy to see.
I know you're probably wondering what this post is really all about. Well, I'll tell you. The first thing that I see when I look at the Walker father-son combo is the striking resemblance between the two.
Duh you say, of course they look like each other. Yes, I know. But what they remind me of is the resemblance I have with my son. My son Daniel is 15, and lives with his mother (my first wife). My son is cursed because he looks like his father...(I'm a homely dog you know!!)
It's tough when you have a teenage son that has no desire to see you, or even talk to you. Yes, unfortunately I have one of those relationships with my son, and while I've come to grips with it for the most part, there are times such as this when I'm writing a post about a father and son and I think back at the mistakes I made.
To those of you out there who read this far, and have kids of your own, go give them a hug.
You'll be glad you did.
Thanks for reading, Robert
Done. Best to the Walker family, and of course yours as well. Hope things get better in the future.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Robert. It takes real heart to open up like that. I know I've made mistakes too - and probably all of us have made our share - and most of us probably beat ourselves up over it just like you. Well, that's not healthy! Just do your best going forward and one day hopefully things will improve between you and your son.
ReplyDeleteHope as the years pass, you'll grow closer.
ReplyDeleteI have a teenage daughter. She doesn't say much to me these days, but we know we love each other. That's all I need right now.
Robert, I think most fathers and sons go through a period like this at some point. I think it's a normal part of your son trying to be independent, and a normal part of the growing process.
ReplyDeleteI had that situation myself with my old man when I was 17. Now coincidentally, you seem to have described the exact situation I have with my son at the time. I tell myself it's normal, but like you, I know how hard it is to feel. also like you, I just try to hug him as much as I can.
He may not realize it now, but later, he'll surely appreciate you, the same as I eventually did with my old man. Hang in there, brother.
You know, sometimes you click on a post expecting to read about a random piece of cardboard and your reminded that there are more important things in life. My dad and I had a rocky year when I was a senior in high school and later reconciled and had years of a good relationship. I think the 6 months between his diagnosis with cancer and his death were the best 6 months of our lives together. I took him to his radiation treatments and we talked without any barriers. We laid out everything and he told me stories about his youth and it was amazing. I miss him and regret that I ever did anything to hurt him, but I'm a better father and man because of him. I hope you get to experience some type of reconciliation with your son Robert. You deserve that much.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course I meant you're in that first sentence...
DeleteThanks for sharing. I've got a 1-year old, and right now he smiles every time I walk in the room, and often if I don't pick him up right away or come play with him for a minute, he gets grumpy. I know those days will change, probably faster than I expect.
ReplyDeleteI do believe there's no such thing as "too late" - you can always do your best going forward, and if you do, things will likely turn out pretty well in the end. Good luck!
Robert, you're a good dude. Hopefully things get better as the years go on.
ReplyDeleteMy parents too were divorced. And I had a period of estrangement from my father for a few years right around the end of high school/beginning of college. But eventually we came back together and made a fresh start, and I'm so glad we did. Be available to him, and above all, don't give up.
ReplyDeleteI hope your son reads this post, because it says a lot.
ReplyDelete