Balancing act: Get that bat off your shoulder and swing away

These kinds of thoughts continued to swirl around in my mind as my daughters' team once again came up to bat. I watched this time as my second-oldest daughter stared down the pitcher, with fire in her eyes. The pitch came toward home plate, and she took that bat off her shoulder. She swung, and swung hard.

She connected with a solid hit, stood shocked for a second at what she had done and then scooted toward first base.

As for me, I was jumping up and down, cheering like crazy — just as family and friends have done for me every time I've taken a risk and swung away throughout my life. And just as those people have done for me, I would have rooted for her even if she struck out, knowing she had given it her best shot and learned in the process.

It was a great moment for me as a parent and a great reminder for me as a person. At home or at work, we need to be bold. We need to get that bat off our shoulders. We need to watch carefully for the good pitches, be prepared to overcome our fears and then swing away.

That's the only way we'll move forward in life. And the reward, whether in the form of a successful hit or the learning that comes with striking out, is always worth the effort.

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