Elizabeth E., Oakwood High School
The Race of Life
Life is a race we all run, fueled by our goals and ambition. Sometimes people try and drag us down, trip us and, elbow us. Sometimes we have to run in the rain. Bad decisions are roots that pop out of the ground, determined to trip is and bring us down. Our friends and family pull us back up, whispering words of encouragement that keep us going. In return, we encourage our loved ones as they run beside us, picking them back up when they fall down. Encouragement and building relationships is essential to living life to the fullest.
March 2020- Home in lock-down, I was sitting in my pajamas in front of a computer at 2:00 in the afternoon, trying to get my schoolwork done for the day. I had a massive headache, about to snap looking at my math work. Those months of online school were hard on my mental health. I let the darkness in, the hopelessness of the pandemic. The sky stayed dreary grey for days on end, and our house kept shrinking until it could hardly squeeze in all seven of us, plus our dog. I plodded along, barely running, my head down, the rain running down my head, streaming down my cheeks and mixing with my tears. I lived in this state for weeks, not realizing I was the one sucking the joy out of my life, not the pandemic.
In early April, my mom introduced the idea of all of us spending our evenings together. We each had a night to pick an activity, one night per person. Suddenly, I had something to look forward to. We played board games and watched movies. I stopped having a depressed outlook on the pandemic. Besides, without the pandemic, I never would have had the time to connect with my family. I was not surviving, I was thriving. The sun broke out of the clouds, and I raised my head. I began to run faster.
I had to get creative when it came to spending time with my friends. Through email and text, we reconnected, and as the weather go warmer, we were able to to go on walks and talk in person. We shared our struggles, our joys, and our fears throughout this pandemic and in the race of life.
Building relationships with family and friends despite the ever-looming pandemic led me to have a brighter outlook on life. Positivity is necessary to thrive in the race of life. Setting goals and reaching them has always been an important part of my life, and I try my best to keep my head up when I am running my race.
When stones and roots pop out of the ground, and I trip and fall, friends and family pull me back up. The rain falls and the snow comes, but I am still running. I am going to run to the finish line, all the way through, never stopping to walk or give up.
