“Just sit down for while” and “just push through it” are a few of many phrases I’ve heard over the years. I’ll save you the long list of activities I’ve tried to do and had to quit, but I’m also sparing myself from reliving what I am not able to do. But the world has a funny way of working things out to be better than if we planned them ourselves. Because I missed out of things I loved, I discovered something I never knew I was missing.

Soccer was my thing. Ask anyone, I adored my team and the thrill of every play. Our team formed in third grade, in hopes of staying together to play in high school. By ninth grade, our team knew the strengths and weaknesses of every player, and how to help each other shine in their strengths through covering for their weak spots.

Sounds great right? They included me, and even made me put my hand on the honorary top spot of our breakout chant. It really was great, and I even got to play in the field sometimes, if we were ahead. Primarily though, I was separated from most of the action. Goalkeeper. I mean, it makes sense, that is really all I could do, stand most of the game and wait for three minutes of action. Before high school, I took pride in this position. I might not save every shot that came my way, but my team would never let me believe I was anything but a pro.

It got harder to breathe the more my coaches made me run. My asthma was striking back, but not in the fictional, Darth Vader kind of way. What I felt was very real. The other schools ran just as much, if not more, and we needed to keep up. I will never forget the hearts of my teammates, who would come back after they completed their workout in practice to finish it out with me. “Just sit down for a while” filled my ears nearly every day. Why does my body not work like everyone else’s?

After quitting soccer, I was forced to find a new hobby and a new team. I now realize that for every failed attempt at a sport, I found new friends I never thought I would make. It did take a massive amount of trial and error to discover my place. I am a strong believer that everyone has a place, and some are a bit harder to find.



Choir was lame. I peered through the choir room window occasionally. I do not think a more stationary activity exists. How I ended up auditioning for choir, I still do not remember, but I do remember why I stayed. After I sang in the audition, the teacher scratched something on her paper and said “You planning on staying for four years?” Little did I know that my answer would be a resounding
yes. I look forward to fifth period every day, because that is my group. I love something I never dreamed of trying, and I am at no disadvantage. I am not letting anyone down or not measuring up in choir. I have no limits, and take full advantage of that. I may not have soccer, but my asthma gave me more than it ever took away.