Amac Productions

Happy Easter to everyone out there who celebrates!

I, for one, do celebrate Easter!

I know I’ve been a little absent lately and I’m sorry for that. Today, I just wanted to stop in and say a Happy Easter to everyone!

Since I am an avid story teller I want to share a little something with everyone. If you don’t care for personal stories, feel free to stop reading right here, and enjoy the rest of your day!

Growing up Easter was not always my favorite holiday. My parents used to take me to my Mother’s parents’ house. It would be my grandparents, my aunt, her husband, and their son.

There was always a lot of food, an Easter Egg Hunt out in the enormous backyard, and plenty of sugar to be had.

Most kids would love Easter Egg Hunts, right?

It was actually the most dreaded part of Easter for me. My cousin and I were the only children there most of our childhood and we’re only nine days apart so we were the only ones who participated.

My grandmother always made sure we had an equal amount of eggs between us, with the same amount of candy, cash, and toys. Once we collected all the eggs we would separate them based on the ‘A’ and the ‘J’ on them.

We’d go out into the backyard not long after we arrive and start hunting for eggs.

Now, I’m no fool. Not even when I was little. I came to realize after a few years how much my aunt, uncle, and even my grandparents rigged the little game to help my cousin out. They’d tell him where to go or where to look when he struggled to find eggs on his own.

I think they did this mostly because he’d get whiney and upset if he couldn’t find any. Vaguely, I have memories of finding most of the eggs one year and him crying. I even remember being told to put some back to help him out. I think one year I may have just done that myself.

Now, I know this is of my own recollection and I’m positive that they would all claim differently, but this is my memories, and feelings. I was only a kid!

Anyway, I remember hating dealing with his potential breakdown because the truth of the matter was we’d get the same things in the end.

Now, here in lies something I think about every year on Easter. No matter how much time has passed since those Easters hunting brightly colored eggs in a backyard of a house my grandparents don’t even live in anymore, I think about it every year.

Competition. 

I will be the first to admit, I am a competitive person. I also admit I place the blame for that on my parents. They never let me win anything when I was little. I had to earn it, time and time again.

My mother loves telling the story of the first time I ever beat my Dad in badminton. I ran into the house yelling ‘I won, I won’ over and over.

To this day I hate playing checkers with my Dad because three moves in I’ve somehow lost all my pieces and he’s got kings everywhere! To be fair he won’t place chess with me anymore either.

I spent years and years honing my skills to be the best catcher on any and every team I played for. I played on the High School Varsity team for four years. I like to win. I like to be the best. I always have.

With Easter every year I think about the Easter Egg Hunts and as my Dad recently pointed out to me when I was telling him I don’t miss them, maybe I did want to win. Maybe that was why it bothered me when the adults were helping Jason.

My parents never did that for me.

And no, I never resented them for it. I resented my aunt, uncle, and grandparents for allowing him to cheat. To think crying, whining, and pouting would save him.

It is not how I was raised.

In my time playing softball and coaching softball I have seen that same problem time and time again. Participation trophies. Not bothering to have a championship at the end of the year so no one feels left out. Being told not to bench players on a competitive because it may hurt their feelings.

For years people asked me how did I get so good at softball? I have talent, sure. But I spent countless hours in the backyard with a ball and glove. I went to clinics. I went to lessons. I practiced and played anywhere, anytime, and for as long as possible. I worked at it.

How did you land four promotions in three years? I worked. I worked harder then anyone. I showed up when I was asked. I stayed later, came in, and did whatever was needed.

In my own opinion I think it’s real disservice to children out there to let them win, to baby them when they come crying to their parents, and give them whatever they want. The world doesn’t work like that. Right here, right now, I am working on my own future. Working towards what I want in my life.

No one is going to hand it to me. My parents can’t get it for me. I have to do it.

I will say, I am grateful to my parents for never letting me win, because earning it is so much more satisfying.

I hope I didn’t bore you too much but Easter makes me think about these things.

Anyway, have a good week! Enjoy your holidays whatever they may be!

Read on!