Don't Take it for Granted

Fifth grade Sophie, who couldn't wait to play lacrosse in high school.

If there is one thing I learned from my experience in high school, it's to never take anything for granted.

Several experiences taught me this important lesson. Freshman year, I was having a great start to my lacrosse season. A sad trip to the hospital for a scan revealed I had a stress fracture and would be out for the rest of the season. Disappointing, yes, but it was only by freshman year, I had three more seasons to look forward to, or so I thought.

Sophomore year came around and I was excited to play on the varsity team. But that excitement turned to sadness once again as I struggled through a season with zero playing time, zero improvement, and zero friends.

Things were starting to turn around in my lacrosse career junior year. I was finally an upper classman, and I was closer with my teammates. But the day after teams were decided at tryouts, COVID hit, and we never came together again after that.

In some ways, it feels like senior year was all I had left. Then there was a delayed start, and then a two-week quarantine. I felt entirely robbed of a senior year. The experiences I had waited three years to have as a senior on the lacrosse team never happened: the icing on the cake.

There's no happy ending to this story because time always moves forward. It's a hard truth I've just come to accept. Nothing about any of these circumstances is okay, but if I were to find a silver lining in any of it, it's that I have a better perspective on how to live the rest of my years.

Before every game, I take a mental note that this could be the last time I play lacrosse. An injury is always one step away. Another quarantine is a high possibility. Running is no longer a punishment. It's an opportunity I'm grateful to have. This might not be the first time something I love is taken away from me. At least now I'm more mentally prepared. Sort of.

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Sophie's Sentiments

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