To My Daughter

Emily,

I  felt so bad for you,  seeing you get frustrated with your basketball game yesterday. I know that you get sick of my talks and "speeches"  and your stubbornness sometimes prevents you from listening to me.  I know because you get that from me.

I know you have a lot of pressure on you from your friends and I know that you want to be the best at something. That's great! Keep that drive because that is the fire that makes things happen.

But I want you to know this....

Those trophies and ribbons of mine that you have from my horse showing as a kid, I didn't just get those because I showed up for the show. I got those because my horses were my passion.  Everything I did revolved around my passion.  "Elbow grease", my grandpa would say "Those ponies won't shine without elbow grease." I spent hours and hours and hours of practicing, taking lessons, grooming , I even took naps in my horses manger. My mom and dad would try to help me, encourage me, and sometimes make me practice.

The key is. Did I always win? Did I always out shine? No. I lost way more then I won.  There were girls that were better than me, there were girls with more money and fancier horses.  I had simple tack my dad gave me, my mom made my show outfits, and we piled my horses in a tiny two horse trailer while there were girls with big shiny new trailers and a super fancy show outfits for every class.

I was terribly shy and I didn't fit in with most of the girls I competed against. In fact every once in awhile I would be made fun of.  But I had my own fan club and quite a few people (even non horse people) who would come watch me.  And when I won classes in Anaconda, I had my own cheering section.

When I won those trophies and ribbons I won them because I worked for them, I earned them.

When you have a passion in life, you have to grab on to that passion and run with it. You have to run right through that girl trying to steal your ball, and if she gets it, you have to get it back (without shoving ya nut, fairly get it back). You have to work your ass off and be the best you can at your passion. A true great at something puts all their effort into their passion at all times, whether winning or losing. Whether the other girls are playing fair or not. No matter what people think about them. Everything they have is put into every moment of that game. When you do the best of your ability at all times you are a great.

You also have to look at your team mates as TEAM mates. And work with them, even if they aren't working with you. They will. The patient, strong, and reliable are the people that become leaders.

And when you get mad. You should thank the person that made you mad. Because they are feeding the fire that makes you better.

Don't ever give up. In anything you do. I promise you with all my heart, the fight is worth it. That sweet moment of "I DID IT!" is worth every tear drop.