Chances

What’s nice about running quotes is they often reflect life as well. Take this one for instance. Forget the part about running five more miles, erase the words ‘bumps and bruises’ from your mind. Just focus on the core of it.                                                           

I took a chance today. At my school’s spring safety assembly I gave a five minute talk about my goal of changing the world and tried to inspire my classmates to do the same. And I’ll be honest it was terrifying. Before it was my turn to talk, I was shaking with nervous in my seat: What would they think? Would I make a fool of myself? What if no words came out? What would happen if everyone made fun of me for it? But after my name was called and I got the first shaky sentences out, I relaxed a little. And by the end, my words flowed smoothly.  

And after finishing my speech, I sat down proudly, grinning like a maniac. Because now, there is one less thing that I cannot do. I can stand up in front of my classmates and share one of my biggest secrets regardless of their reactions. And I promise you I will remember this day for the rest of my life.

Now it’s your turn. Fifty years from now, do you think you’re going to spend your time wishing you blended in with the crowd better and were more ‘normal’? Or do you think you’re going to wish you went out on a limb more and did something others could only dream of?  Opportunities to do something beautiful, something incredible, something memorable, come about every single day. But it’s up to us to recognize them and chase them down.

Take this story for instance: At a big track meet this year, I was doing pentathlon. There was this really cute guy doing pent as well. We were high jumping at the same and I really wanted to talk to him eventually. After both our finally events (the 1500 and 800) I was hanging out with my best friend and he was cooling down. She noticed me looking at him and laughed. “You know you’re going to regret it if you don’t go talk to him” I knew she was right. It took me a shove to get me moving, but I did it. It was really short conversation and I could tell he wasn’t interested right away, but the point is, I would have regretted not saying ‘nice job.’ And I still remember that moment with a smile. Would I still remember it if I had chickened out? I highly doubt it.

So the next time you’re faced with a decision, be it seemingly insignificant or life-altering, just do it. Do it with wild excitement. Screw it up and have a story to tell, or make the moment beautiful and treasure it forever. Whatever happens, you still have more of a story than you would have if you had backed out. 

P.S. Seeing as I became visible to my classmates today, I might as well become visible to you. My name is Sheila.