One of the great pleasures in life is watching our kids grow to achieve their dreams or reach
their goals. It’s one of the many things that gives us so much fulfillment in being a parent. From
the day our kids are born, we as parents want nothing more than for our kids to be happy.
Today, I’ll talk about some of the sacrifices my parents (especially my mother) made for me to
have the life I’ve enjoyed so much. 
 
Most of you already know my story from past articles. But in case you haven’t, my aunt and
uncle rescued and adopted me at the age of 10 and turned my life completely around and
literally saved me from the streets of Houston, Texas. They put me on the path to success with
sacrifices and dedication of their own free will. 
 
Again, the good Lord above blessed me with some athletic ability that only He can give. But my parents made sure that my talent did not go to waste. So many days, my mother
made sure I was on time for every practice and every game. 
 
She sat in a hot car for hours waiting for practice to be over knowing she still had supper to
cook, clothes to wash, another child to tend to and a husband to take care of. Getting home
after 7 o’clock each evening, she cooked dinner and made sure our homework was complete
before ushering my brother and me off to take a bath.
 
She made sure uniforms were always washed and ready for the next game. She had very little
time to herself as she worked full-time as a nurse at a local clinic. But not one time did she fail
to make sure I was where I needed to be, whether it was a baseball or football practice or a Boy
Scouts meeting. Mom sacrificed!
 
You never fully appreciate these sacrifices until the day comes when you have kids of your own
and realize the effort it takes to make sure your kids are where they are supposed to be. She
did this not just for me but my younger brother Chad, who was about six years younger than
me. 
 

All of my years growing up, we never took a vacation as a family. Mom never took one of those
much-needed “getaways.” Sure, we made the occasional trip to Six Flags in Dallas or maybe to
see the Texas Rangers play, but never a trip to the Caribbean or the mountains of Colorado to
enjoy the scenery. 
 
Pretty much every trip we took revolved around me or my brother playing baseball with All-Star
playoffs. Even as I got into high school, she followed me to every game (home or away). She
made the trip to Austin as we reached the state baseball tournament and won our first state
championship in 1978. 
 
Not one time did she ever complain or say “no” to any sport I wanted to play. Her devotion was
unlimited, and her sacrifices were intentional. All to make sure I had every opportunity to
achieve success! 
 
I think it goes without saying that I was one of the lucky ones who had parents wanting their
kids to have the best — the best opportunity to achieve and be successful in life. Sometimes I
think we forget just how important those sacrifices are. 
 
But at the time, we just think that’s how it’s supposed to be, but in reality, that’s not true. It
takes parents who are willing to make those sacrifices unselfishly and make their kids a priority, and their
main focus. 
 
For parents, the reward comes much later in life when they sit back and brag about all their kids’ accomplishments, all because of the sacrifices made. In the end, it’s
worth every second and hour we set aside to make sure our kids are the priority!  
 
Without sacrificial parents, kids don’t stand a chance! So, to all you young adults 
looking to have children of your own, make sure they are your top priority. Thank you, Mom, for
your dedication and commitment to ME! Remember, sacrifice is unspoken love. Happy
Mother’s Day to all the moms who make sacrifices for the benefit of others. 
 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com