Still sorting out everything here, waiting for answers for my wife.
Another door closed over the Christmas holidays. We bought my son a full size bed to replace his twin bed and his room shrank as a result. Funny how that happened. He had to do some serious housekeeping after we put the bed together and while he was doing it, I was sitting at the computer in the office. He walked in and put all of his autographed baseballs on the desk. "I don't have room for these, do you want them?" I just looked at him, at the balls and back at him.
Long story short, he's pretty much done with collecting baseball...anything. I'm hoping it's a temporary "break", similar to the ones I've taken throughout my hobby career. I'll keep all his stuff with mine and pass it back to him down the road. Hopefully.
I'm a little sad because I was hoping to create a future collector. All things considered, I guess that's what they call a "first world problem". I'll still be collecting, sporadically buying some new stuff, but I'm a big fan of all the people going vintage this year. I think I'll concentrate on organizing, getting out many overdue packages and working on my Rangers collection.
Tomorrow, a door or three opens. Until then...thanks for hanging in there with me.
Don't forget...most of us took a long break (11 years myself) around high school. I'm sure he'll come around, especially if you are still collecting in 5-10 years. He'll want to re-establish bonding with Dad and sports are the easiest way to do that.
ReplyDeleteSo true. If it wasn't for sports, the only time I'd talk to my dad would be to ask how to fix something. Or to borrow money.
DeleteAs the song says, Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. Your son might not have interest in collecting now, but it could come back. If he has interest in going to games or playing baseball, that can be encouraged and maybe he'll get the passion. I remember my interests changed pretty quickly as I grew. Unfortunately I didn't have a father to give my baseball stuff to when I lost interest in college, and there were a lot of great items in my collection I sold off that I wish I had kept. And I did the same thing again around 2003... it's a cycle for me. But I learned after those.
ReplyDeleteHang in there. And there will always be light at the end of the tunnel.
Girls on the mind, he'll be back!
ReplyDeleteMaybe he'd like to collect Bench Warmer cards?
ReplyDeleteJust kidding.
Keeping his stuff is a smart idea. We all go through these up and downs. I wish I had someone that would've kept my stuff when I originally lost interest.
Man, I've been in such a funk it didn't occur to me it might be girls. I think you guys are right. The other day we were at a big retail store (Best Buy) and there was some girl dancing in a skimpy outfit on one of their jumbo display televisions. He was practically drooling. That gives me hope that he may come back to it someday.
ReplyDeleteBetter find a nice autographed collector's edition of Playboy for him. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy oldest son, in Illinois, has pretty much stopped collecting since he started working full time, bought a house and got married. But now they're having a child in Aug., that may rekindle the flame!
ReplyDeleteYour son will probably be back a little later in life !
Just don't let it separate you from him !