I recently came across this lovely journal entry on Facebook and couldn’t resist posting it here. It was written by the 13 year-old daughter of one of my friends. I thought it was incredibly thought-provoking; short but a mile deep.
Enjoy, and leave a comment letting me know what you think!
Love,
Jill
“Grip it”
Life is a basketball game. You cannot go through it without other people. The time gradually runs out, so take as many chances as you can and take advantage of the precious minutes. Do not rush or wish away the time. Sometimes you hit the right spot, and sometimes you don’t. Not every shot or every day is the best. A coach is someone you look up to in life. There is always someone to guide you and teach you new things. Always try your best. Work with others and share the ball.
Share your glory, share your generosity, share your wisdom, share your humor, share. But also be greedy sometimes. Take shots; don’t constantly pass. Alone time and individuality is essential and vital. Use the losses, the air balls, the complete misses, and failures as ways to learn and be better next time. Bond. Take time to stop and simply reflect. Love, travel, laugh, study, learn, think. Compliment someone.
Wear a uniform. Literally? No. But have your own number that stands out in the crowd. Be yourself. Have your own personality and build an identity. Face it, you can’t have someone else’s title or jersey number, so cherish your own. Grip the basketball firmly, and do the same with your life. Make sure you know what you want and how to ask for it. Jump high for the ball, jump and go over the top. Assist. Make passes, and help other people in life. Give more than you receive. Do at least one active un-bargaining service or duty each week.
If others don’t recognize your deeds or humane actions, keep doing them anyway. Continue giving without receiving. Watching others’ glory can be hard, but the best thing to do is just cheer for them. Treat them how you would want to be treated; support. As the time diminishes, kick the switch up a notch, give in the fuel, and go for your dreams and goals before you regret anything.
By: Paris Anne Rosenthal, age 13
