Learning to Stand

Senior year is supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be the end of one great thing and the beginning of the next great thing.

So why was Lyss crying last weekend?

She’s stressed. Track meets were about to start and the thought of having two meets a week for the next six weeks was weighing on her. She works three days a week (four or so hours two nights during the week and 8 hours on Sunday) as well as has track practice every day that there isn’t a meet. She’s also maintaining her straight As and doing things for National Honor Society.

Let’s not forget hanging out with friends. Remember when that was a priority? Yeah, neither do I. But when you’re 18, it’s incredibly important. I’m not even being sarcastic here, it really is important. I get it.

The more she talked, the more stressed she got and then she cried.

I asked her if it was worth it.

She sighed and said that she just hated running. She loves the high jump. If she could just high jump the meets wouldn’t stress her out.

I suggested her talk to her coach. She sniffled and said she would have to text him because talking to him face to face would be awful.

I laughed and told her that she needs to NOT be like her mother. She needs to grow a little self-righteousness and stop taking on other people’s emotions. And if it was best for her, just quit track.

We hugged, she got to spend some time with N, which made everything better and she texted her coach the next day (a Sunday.) He replied back that he’d like to talk to her the next day. She wasn’t getting out of the face to face after all.

When I saw her next (at the dentist, a post all its own) she grinned and said she got her way.

She’d talked to the coach, cried at him a little, he hugged her twice and agreed to let her do just high jump. He did, however, reserve the right to put her in a relay or two at districts and/or the BBC (a conference meet here in northwest Ohio.) She agreed with that and felt much better about everything.

Well, she admitted, she felt better because she got her way. But honestly, is that such a bad thing every now and then? I mean, we spend our lives doing things that other people want us to do. It’s okay to put ourselves first once in a while. It’s okay to NOT feel guilty about other people’s feelings.

Good advice, Mom. The pot called and said you’re guilty.