Before I started reading Wherever I Wind Up, I hadn't really paid much attention to R.A. Dickey. As much as I enjoy watching baseball these days, the Mets just weren't on my radar at all. So when I saw him during the 2012 All-Star game, and heard about his recent climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro as part of a mission to raise awareness to the plight of human trafficking, I was impressed enough to want to know a bit more about him.
After reading the book about Bryce Harper, a 19 year-old phenom at the very start of his career, it was refreshing (and a little easier to relate) to read about a 37 year-old, family man and all he has gone through to get to where he is now. From dealing with a vast array of psychological and physical struggles, making very little money, doing the best he can to provide for his family - to becoming one of the best pitchers in the majors.
There are parts of the book that make you cringe. Parts that make you sympathetic to all he has endured. Things that make you question how you would react if faced with the same things in your life. He has wears his faith on his sleeve. He has taken the circumstances of his life - circumstances that would make just about anyone else give up years and years ago - and held true to his belief that God is in control. That He has a plan, not only for R.A. Dickey, but for all of us. It may not be appropriate for the youngest readers in your family, but there are lessons to be learned for anyone that reads this book. As I turned the final page, I became a fan of R.A. Dickey. A fan of the man. The husband. The father. And yes... the pitcher. I'll be looking forward to seeing his stats for the next couple years, but even more than that, I'll look forward to hearing about what he does once his time on the diamond is over.
After reading the book about Bryce Harper, a 19 year-old phenom at the very start of his career, it was refreshing (and a little easier to relate) to read about a 37 year-old, family man and all he has gone through to get to where he is now. From dealing with a vast array of psychological and physical struggles, making very little money, doing the best he can to provide for his family - to becoming one of the best pitchers in the majors.
There are parts of the book that make you cringe. Parts that make you sympathetic to all he has endured. Things that make you question how you would react if faced with the same things in your life. He has wears his faith on his sleeve. He has taken the circumstances of his life - circumstances that would make just about anyone else give up years and years ago - and held true to his belief that God is in control. That He has a plan, not only for R.A. Dickey, but for all of us. It may not be appropriate for the youngest readers in your family, but there are lessons to be learned for anyone that reads this book. As I turned the final page, I became a fan of R.A. Dickey. A fan of the man. The husband. The father. And yes... the pitcher. I'll be looking forward to seeing his stats for the next couple years, but even more than that, I'll look forward to hearing about what he does once his time on the diamond is over.
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