Isaac received a trophy the other day for finishing his first season of tee ball. When they handed it to him, he held it up high with a big smile on his face and looked at me for approval. I frowned at him. Every kid in the league received the trophy. It seemed like a pretty worthless trophy to me.
So when we got home, I set the trophy out on our sidewalk. I went to the garage and picked up a sledgehammer. I took Isaac out to the trophy with my sledgehammer in hand.
I then told him this: "You see this trophy. It is meaningless. It is worthless. I want you to pick up this sledgehammer and destroy that trophy because I do not want the first trophy you have ever earned to just be earned for completing a season. I want your first trophy to mean something."
He then tried to pick the sledgehammer up. He couldn't even budge it. Maybe it was the tears making him weak. I don't really know. Anyway, I said, "You can't even pick up this sledgehammer; you definetly don't deserve this trophy."
I then picked up the sledgehammer and pulverized the worthless trophy. He wept.
Just kidding.
We sat the trophy up in a prominent spot in our dining room. I smiled back and gave a thumbs up when he looked at me for approval. I hope that he can win some in the future that actually have more of a meaning behind them, but until then I am happy this trophy has brought a smile to his face.
Watch out for the potholes.
