The End of an Era

I knew this day would come. Didn't know when, and it got here sooner than I expected. Nate quit baseball today. Texted me yesterday and said he was going to. Played last night, and played really well. Went in the coaches office this morning and sat down and talked to him. Before I tell you all what was said, when I asked why Nate told me "I'm tired of being tired, stressed out and unhappy. I don't love it as much as I thought I did". The coach first off told him how much he appreciated him handling it like a man and coming to him face to face to talk about it. He said they were very impressed with him the first couple weeks and then it seemed he hit a wall. They knew he was giving them 110%, but it wasn't the same. They also knew he would work it out and had big plans for him and he would be very successful. Coach then asked him if this had been eating at him for awhile. Nate said it had. Coach told him that it made sense. This is the wall he hit. He was done. He was still giving it his all, but his heart wasn't there. Nate told the coach he wouldn't do it half hearted, he wouldn't do that to the team. I am so proud of my boy. The only thing that even remotely bothered me about this is that he discussed it with his girlfirend before he told me. At least she gave him good, sound advice. I didin't care that he talked to his cousin who had also quite college baseball, but the girlfriend was a bit of a wound. I know he's growing (grown?) up as a college freshman. I still want him to be my boy. But those days are gone.