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.
