One Mistake…

It was one little mistake.

Amidst years of training and finally getting to a college level,

I had to sit out.

I had to wait.

I had to watch.

I wasn’t allowed to move.

I wasn’t allowed to try.

I just had to sit, and watch, until I healed.

 

Boiling in my own frustration, I wanted to cry,

I wanted to scream,

I wanted to die.

Why did I have to get surgery?

Why did this have to happen?

It was only three months until meet season.

I was so close to reaching my goal…

I was so close.

 

Four weeks in, I knew there was nothing I could do.

I was injured.

That was that.

Frustration wouldn’t make me better,

Crying wouldn’t take away the pain,

Fear wouldn’t prevent future injuries.

I couldn’t have predicted that this would have happen,

I couldn't have known.

 

What if this had been the end of my career?

Had I really given it my all?

Had I truly trained with confidence?

Had I genuinely trained with passion?

No.

 

As I heal, I promise to be better.

I promise to train with love,

With passion,

With faith.

If I had not been able to return to gymnastics,

I would have wasted years of my life.

I would have never trained as best as I could.

I would have never peaked.

 

As I enter my beloved sport once more,

I have learned to take risks,

And to be unabashed.

A mistake is acceptable if done with passion.

Because who knows?

Tomorrow might not be an option.

Life is too short to live small.

I would rather be hurt and content,

Than hurt and regretful.