Walking, Softball, and Memories

I love walking through our neighborhood, especially on days like today. People are out taking care of their lawn, kids are out playing, the smell of a charcoal grill is in the air. I love it. I even walked past a fast-pitch softball game going on at the park across the street and I was drawn to it like I never thought I would be. Except for the fact that softball brings back such wonderful memories of my dad, I never thought I'd be interested in taking it up again. Yet as I watched, I wanted nothing more than to be on that mound throwing curves and change-ups. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be different if I'd pursued softball in college. I know I wouldn't have met Jason, or at least not in the same way, because if I'd become part of a college softball team, I'm sure I wouldn't have transferred to UWM after one year. I don't regret not pursuing it, but sometimes I feel bad about how much time and money my parents spent on my softball "career" growing up and then I just quit after my senior year of high school.

Anyway ......... back to my walks. Since there are so many people out and about lately with this weather, I've noticed lots of people that have one characteristic or another that reminds me of my dad. And it's so weird, because although I often think of memories with my dad from the past, I rarely picture him as if he's physically here in front of me today. So seeing these people and imagining that it's my dad right here is so ... amazing to think about ... and strange, too ...
(Picture taken from http://pubpages.unh.edu/~agreene/assign4-2.html)