In seventh grade I started a new school and I had to find a way to fit in with so many who had known each other all their lives. I asked my mom one day how can I meet people in a new place like this? What is the one piece of advice grown ups tend to give in this particular situation........try out for something.......join something!!!! At that moment in time I had not yet developed the notion that parents, especially mine, are always wrong. This may have been one of the last moments in my teenage years that I actually listened to my mom. With out skipping a beat I tried out for cheerleading and all those years of dance paid off. I would find myself cheering for the next six years.Being a cheerleader was great but I knew I could really make a difference in this new school by trying out for something else and I came to the conclusion that I had to do more!
As the leaves changed to the beautiful rich colors of fall I decided that I could cheer for basketball and I could play basketball. Those of you who have known me since seventh grade are probably scratching their heads wondering if they missed something. Did I really try out for basketball many many moons ago???? Well, no need to run for our old yearbooks. The answer is yes AND the answer is no. I approached my mom with this magnificent idea that I had. I can close my eyes and see her now hugging me profusely wondering how in the world she raised such a brilliant daughter!! However, in reality she looked at me and tried not to laugh, already knowing how this little endeavor would turn out.
On the first day of open clinics I put on my gym clothes, my new running shoes and headed to the gym. I listened intently as the coach explained how the open clinics would work and how the selection process would go. I thought to myself......you have this!!!!! We were all told to stand up and head to the line closest to the wall. The coach began to explain the running exercises we would start practice with and end practice with, suicides. Wait!!!!! No one, I mean no one told me I was going to have to run!!!!! Yeah, I figured I would have to run up and down the court with the ball, but just to practice???? Well, I was already there so I had to try. I stood there and finally heard the whistle!!!! I put my mind to it and pictured myself running as fast as the cheetah when in reality I am sure I looked more like a turtle. I made it to the first line, turned around and came back. Without stopping I made it to the second line, turned around and came back.......over and over and over. Finally, I made it to the end of the court and I had turned around one last time and saw the starting line and focused clearly on the end in sight. As I approached the rest of the girls something took over me and before I knew it I had ran right past everyone, out the gym door to never be seen at another basketball practice again!! Remember how I mentioned my mom just knew how this would end???? Well, there she sat in the parking lot as if she knew I would not make it past the first few minutes. I silently got into the car and my rendezvous with basketball was never mentioned again.
Some of the most amazing people entered my life over those seven years and I am proud to report that almost all of them are still an important part of my life. We do not get to see each other often enough but we are here for each other when it matters the most. I was taught a valuable lesson over those years. Life is not a sprint but a marathon. It takes hard work and perseverance to create a life for yourself and it takes even more work to create a life with others but it is worth every moment.
We are embarking on another adventure in life, one of the most profound for my husband and I. We are trying to have a baby and it is not going to be the smoothest of rides but one that will be worth it in the end!!!! Look at me, it would be odd if there wasn't a little crazy in this process. We have to just keep ourselves in the right frame of mind. We must lean on our friends and family for support and encouraging words. Our support system will be our fan section and I know they will be cheering for us through this new journey. Once this baby decides to make its presence known it will be welcomed in a world of love. So, I must stay firmly planted on the ground and not get discouraged when things do not turn out the way we had hoped month after month. This is life!!!! The meat and potatoes part!!!! You dive in and you either like gravy and swim or let the mashed potatoes act as quick sand. No matter what we must remember life is not a sprint but a marathon with an amazing banner to run through at the end of the race......we will even add in the occasional cow bell because who doesn't need more cow bell!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment