Disappointment or Fate?

Hello, love <3

     Monday evening I tried out for my high school's Swim Team. Try outs were supposed to be both Monday and Tuesday night, but for some reason the coaches changed the plan and told us after we finished swimming that the team would be announced that same night.

     So after swimming my hardest and fastest, I went back home and sat by my phone, checking my email every 5 seconds so I wouldn't miss the message with the team roster. When that moment finally did come, I discovered that I didn't make the team.

     Yes, I had a good cry and yes I was upset. I'd worked my hardest, harder than I ever had before.

     But, it wasn't for nothing. Just because I didn't make the team doesn't mean I'm going to throw everything away. I am going to continue swimming and I'm not going to dwell on the fact that I'm not a part of the team this year. Because of the conditioning workouts I slowly became more and more proud of myself.

     A big part of trying out for the swim team was college. I'm in my first year of high school, but I don't think it's too early to start thinking about college. Of course, I do say I like to live in the now, but college is a huge part of my academic career. So, I began thinking about how I'm going to get in.

     It worried me. I'm not an athletic person. I went into swimming this year with a mindset that if I don't make the team, I'm not going to go to college because I'm just another person with good grades.

     That mindset slowly began to shift. As I was going to these workouts every day after school, I was forming a family with all of these other people. I was having fun and felt as though I were a part of something. College completely slipped my mind during those times.

     After discovering that I didn't make the team, I took a step back to reflect:

     Sports is not my thing.

     But I do have so many other qualities that I know a school perfect for me is going to value one day. Writing this I'm kind of surprising myself. I'm in the 9th grade. College is far, far away. Then again, it'll probably be here in the blink of an eye.

     I also talked to my parents about not making the cut. They know I want to pursue my writing somehow in the future. And they also know that I worked my butt off this month trying to get fit, improve, prove myself to the coach and in the end, myself as well.

     My mom reassured me that not making the team my freshman year isn't going to get in the way of the things I have planned out for the future. She also told me there is a reason behind every decision and event.

     There's a reason I didn't make the team. I don't know what that reason is. Whether it was because of my amateur swimming technique, or something more latent. Something that I might never find out about. Maybe something bad would've happened if I made the team. Then again, maybe not. But I've learned to accept the fate that is mine instead of dwelling on it and being disappointed.

     Next time something unfavorable happens in your life, reflect not on how what happened didn't unfold as you had hoped, but rather how what happened, happened. It was meant to be that way. You may not be able to change it, but you can accept it.

     Thank you for reading and I'll talk to you soon.

*computer hug*