A whole community to lean on

The other week we were told the town was going to have try-outs for a summer travel baseball team for 8-year-olds. I'm going to put aside how much I hate try-outs at such a young age and just tell the story that ensued.

We went back and forth about having the boys try-out. What if one made it and the other didn't? How could we manage the week day practices and games when we both worked? Was this experience worth the effort?

In the end we let the boys tryout this weekend and they felt really good about their playing. They recounted specific plays and hits. They pointed out dents on the bat from really good swings.

Sunday morning we got the email that they didn't make the team.

The crying that followed proved that 8 year old hearts really do break. And they break really hard. And those breaks hurt. Hiding in the pillows hurt. Clutching mom's waist hurt.

And they begged not to go to church. Which was exactly where they needed to be.

They were part of the annual children's Sunday service. All the classes shared what they learned and children are invited perform musical numbers or read writings. My boys played the piano for the first time in public. They heard an 8th grader read a school essay about the death of his dog and how much it hurt but how he had to keep going. They heard another 8th grader they idolize play Mendelssohn's Song without Words. An 8th grader who plays serious baseball but never did the 8 year old travel team.

And they heard a 4th grader play this on the piano. No words, just the music. And it couldn't have been more appropriate.

We couldn't have been luckier for their friends - young and old - who were there for them.

There are so many friend songs. Which one captures it for you?