Someone once told me that there would come a moment in my life when I'd look up and see a sky full of balls storming my way. And despite how badly I'd want to catch each ball, it would be impossible to avoid some from falling. So I'd have to stop for a moment, look up, and think of the ball that is most important to me; that's the one I'd have to catch first.
Once I've caught it, I can catch the next, and the next, and the next, but it's important to understand that I can't catch them all, and I have to accept that there will be balls that fall on the way. So all I can do from such an experience is learn to throw only the balls I know I can catch.
About a week ago, I felt as though there were so many balls in the air that I was going to drop them all. Soccer and OAE were two of the biggest balls storming my way.
On the one hand, OAE has been an experience where I've explored myself, explored my fears, talents, and my limitations. Having no electronics, no showers, no sinks, no bathrooms, and eating packed meals for four days was definitely a challenge, but a challenge that taught me how little we really need to survive.
Soccer, on the other hand, is a sport that I've played for the past seven years and is therefore a big part of my life. One of our biggest anual tournaments--SAAC--is the week after our last trip to OAE. And although I would love to attend both the trip and the tournament, I felt as though if I did I was going to be completely overwhelmed with missed school work, and thus, distracted from the tournament.
So I had to pick one ball to catch.
I caught SAAC, and trust me, it wasn't easy. I doubted my decision hundreds of times, but I learned that when I don't know what ball to catch, I need to stop for a moment, put other people's opinion aside and listen to what my heart and mind are telling me.
This experience taught me the importance of committing only to what I know I can handle. Because let me ask you one thing: would you rather be remembered as the girl that did a hundred things poorly, or the girl that devoted her mind, heart, and sole to succeed in a few activities?
I want to be remembered as the second girl. I want to leave a dent in my community, but I want to do it by dedicating myself and my time to pursue the things I truly believe in. I can't do it all, but I can do something. So the key now is choosing between the things in my life that I can and want to do.
About a week ago, I felt as though there were so many balls in the air that I was going to drop them all. Soccer and OAE were two of the biggest balls storming my way.
On the one hand, OAE has been an experience where I've explored myself, explored my fears, talents, and my limitations. Having no electronics, no showers, no sinks, no bathrooms, and eating packed meals for four days was definitely a challenge, but a challenge that taught me how little we really need to survive.
Soccer, on the other hand, is a sport that I've played for the past seven years and is therefore a big part of my life. One of our biggest anual tournaments--SAAC--is the week after our last trip to OAE. And although I would love to attend both the trip and the tournament, I felt as though if I did I was going to be completely overwhelmed with missed school work, and thus, distracted from the tournament.
So I had to pick one ball to catch.
I caught SAAC, and trust me, it wasn't easy. I doubted my decision hundreds of times, but I learned that when I don't know what ball to catch, I need to stop for a moment, put other people's opinion aside and listen to what my heart and mind are telling me.
This experience taught me the importance of committing only to what I know I can handle. Because let me ask you one thing: would you rather be remembered as the girl that did a hundred things poorly, or the girl that devoted her mind, heart, and sole to succeed in a few activities?
I want to be remembered as the second girl. I want to leave a dent in my community, but I want to do it by dedicating myself and my time to pursue the things I truly believe in. I can't do it all, but I can do something. So the key now is choosing between the things in my life that I can and want to do.