When I turned 21 my birthday present from my parents was a top quality leather spalding basketball – the best one you could buy at the time.
I treated that ball like a baby and only ever used it on wooden floors and with the utmost care. Since moving from Lesmurdie, where I retired from veterans basketball, it has sat on a shelf in our shed for 7 years – a monument to a game I used to play. It is still in superb condition and is a classic piece of equipment.
Lately Ellie has been asking me if she can use it to play with. I told her ‘no – to bounce it on bricks or the road will damage it’. Quite true.
Today she asked the same question and yet again I said ‘no’.
Then she said ‘what do you keep it for if you never intend to use it dad?’
Now that’s a fair question hey?… I had a lights on moment that a nicely kept leather ball that is never used is probably not a lot of value to anyone…
I went to the shelf and pulled it out, pumped it up and gave it to her to play on the street with the rest of the kids. Tonight my basketball is scuffed and has lost its shiny finish that I was so diligent to protect.
But then I am not likely to play for the Wildcats at this stage in my life so my need for a quality ball has diminished somewhat…
Funny how it takes us a while to realise these things…
As you were.
Reminds me of what we do with our gifts and talents.