I don't follow baseball. I only heard of Derek Jeter when it was known he dated Mariah Carey in the past.
Picking up his autobiography at a used bookstore was so fortuitous. I believe we can be drawn to specifically buy books depending on what we are interested in or questions we need answers for. The title of his book "The Life You Imagine", was a theme that caught my attention.
Similar to Quincy Jones, his book had just the right balance of telling a story about his baseball career and relating how his stories and experiences can also be relatable to us.
I am drawn to this rare theme I find in an autobiography of how he respects and appreciates what his parents have done for him, how he is constantly observing the right people and choosing his mentors to improve himself every day, and how he has been able to give back to the community at such a young age.
One of the main dominant themes of Derek Jeter's book was his thoughts about his parents:
"I always tell people that I don't like to boast and I don't like people who brag, but I break my own rules when it comes to my parents. I'll talk about my parents for days because I know how much they sacrificed to give me whatever I needed while I was growing up. More than anything, they gave me love, support, and security. They were always there for me, which is an advantage I know every kid doesn't have in life. Because of what my parents said and did, I knew that they cared. The main thing that my father and mother gave me that every child wants and needs is time."
I agree that our parents can truly shape our lives through their endless and selfless support in our endeavors. I for one am fortuitous as well in being born to my parents. I may not have the fame Derek Jeter acquired but I do lead a life that I would want my parents to be proud of.
With the distractions of technology and social media, I do hope that all parents continue to find time to really teach their kids through their actions. There will not be another Derek Jeter but there may be another person who can be just as influential as him to make this world a better place.