Thanksgiving

My cousins and I at a previous family gathering 

Thanksgiving. We often forget that giving thanks is what this holiday is all about. We focus on getting the greatest deal on Black Friday and the free food.  I admit that on Thursday around noon, giving thanks was possibly the last thing on my mind. My family was bustling around the house cooking artichoke dip and failing miserably at leaving for our family get-together several times. I was blaring music in my room and irritably getting ready for the day ahead. By the time we finally got in the car, my brother and I were already bickering about who knows what. And by the time we were on the highway, we were on the verge of killing each other. It wasn't even 1 in the afternoon yet, and I already was at my tipping point.

I felt my phone buzzing and as I unlocked it, I assumed it would be another lame response the mass "Happy Thanksgiving" text I had sent out to my closest friends. Although it was a response, it was not a typical one. It was from one of my best friends and instead of simply saying "You too!", he said "What are you thankful for?". A smile spread across my face. I looked at my brother and said, "Fine, you win." The look on his face was enough to make my smile even bigger. I responded to the text with a concise list of the things I was most thankful for this year: my friends, family, health. His response to this text surprised me even more than the first, all he said was food. I was in pure awe, but his thoughtful yet carefree response got me thinking and truly appreciating this holiday.

The rest of the day flew by, unlike the unbearably slow morning. I planned out an apple pie date with my grandmother, played trains with my little cousins, ate a fantastic meal surrounded by family while cracking some surprisingly funny jokes, and discovered a mutual love/obsession with debate with my uncle.  The best part was that because of that eye-opening piece of my conversation with my friend, I was appreciating every moment. Although I indulged a bit on the Black Friday sales, I had more fun simply shopping with friends than actually landing a good deal.

One more thing stuck with me from this Thanksgiving. Appreciation doesn't have to be an anual thing. It doesn't have to be a daily thing either, but sometimes stopping to notice the little things in your life can humble a person out a bit. I shall end this post with a quote that sums up my emotions at the moment. I hope all had a wonderful thanksgiving!

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you make look back and realize they were big things."-             Robert Brault

Relief

There is nothing better than a 3-day weekend after an incredibly hectic week. My crazy homework load and a cold made last week practically unbearable. My mind and body constantly yearned for a time of recovery, relaxation, and relief. As the end of last week neared, the thought of tranquility for a change was quite endearing.

However, when one longs for something for so long, it can often be disappointing. This weekend was that type of scenario. It bored me to the point of exhaustion.  I didn't feel at all at peace, but only anxious and longing to do something...anything! By Sunday morning, I was dying to be active again and get back into the swing of things. I paced around the house for a bit, had a few bites to eat, stared at a computer screen but nothing helped. Finally, it hit me. I was approaching stress relief all wrong!  Doing absolutely nothing wasn't going to help. A different outlet was the key. A much more lively modus operandi was necessary to cure my restlessness.

I trotted into my room, threw on shorts and a t-shirt, and bolted out the door, grabbing what was seemingly the object of my dreams: a basketball. I spun the ball on my finger a few times, and then dribbled down the street to our neighbor's super sweet half-court. I practiced my shooting, dribbling, passing, everything, and for the first time all weekend, I got my body moving. Sweat trickled down my rosie-red cheeks as a tossed up shot after shot. After about a half hour, I let my body slump to the ground and gulped down a majority of my water. I laid back on the grass and stared up at the cloudless, blue sky. I finally found what I was looking for all weekend: true relief.

A Fresh Start

Last year's team ready for action....

Running season has sadly ended. Although it had its ups and downs, it was overall a successful first cross country season. I became both a mentally and physically stronger runner. My greatest achievement, however, was learning the ability to push myself. When I was out on the course, and I felt like I had nothing left to give for that last mile, I learned to dig deep, deeper than I ever had before. Now, whenever I feel like I've got nothing left, I think back to those races and know that there is ALWAYS something left to give.

When one door closes, another opens. My new door was the door to basketball season. Being an avid basketball player for roughly the past eight years, I was pretty confident in my ability to make the team. However, playing in the first day of pre-season training, was an eye-opening experience. This was not cross country season anymore. I could no longer let my mind go blank and leave it all of the course. I had to think. I had to function as not just an individual, but an individual part of a team.

Although my first day was rough, cross country season did lend a helping hand in keeping me going. I dug deep. Basketball was (and still is) my game, my jam, my way of life. I was not about to be defeated after one bad day. From there, I pushed myself much harder, both at school training and outside of it. During the pre-season training, I played just as hard as I would in a game, putting an added amount of precision into each dribble, pass and shot. I sprinted down the court, huffing and puffing until water was the only thing that could quench my thirsty body. Outside of the in-school training, I practiced my basic skills at the neighborhood basketball court. Shooting drills were an absolute necessity. Every night, I played for a little longer and pushed myself a little harder.

By the time tryouts rolled around, I was a much stronger player than at the beginning of the pre-season. I breezed through tryouts, but went in with the mindset that although basketball may be my game, it was everyone else's game too. The real difference in all of us was who was gonna push to the max, to the point of pure exhaustion. In that area, I was an expert. When my coach called me outside to inform me of whether or not I made the team, the look on his face was all I needed to see. He congratulated me and commented on the fact that I seemed to have improved a lot since the previous season. My goal had been reached, try outs were over. Now, let the real season begin.