Everyone has bad days. It could be because you are having a bad hair day (which fits well into my field of expertise) or you get in trouble by your parents, or you just don’t get enough sleep because you are trying to cram for Mr. Holloway’s reading responses. But bad days are bound to happen. It’s a part of life. We need the bad days to appreciate the good ones.
At basketball practice, Coach Masson always teaches us lessons beyond the sport. In doing so, before we start off each practice, we have a “Thought of the Day,” which allows each player to share some type of experience or quote with the team while explaining their takeaways from it.
During one “thought of the day,” Coach Rachel asked our team, “What do you turn to or what is your outlet when you are having a bad day?” Instantly, I thought of how I isolate myself and choose to not talk to people. But my teammates had different suggestions in mind as to how they deal with their problems. Naya said she goes out for boba. Maddie insists on taking naps. Kai works out. Nikki plays video games. And Clarice says that she is funny enough to make herself laugh (which is how I aspire to be). The more I thought about the question, the more I realized that it’s the people around me that act as my outlets and help me through my bad days.
As I learned from Coach Masson, I think it is important to show an “attitude of gratitude” to those people who have greatly impacted your life and have been there through both the highs and lows. As people, we take so many things for granted, and unfortunately, sometimes it is too late to show your appreciation.
The friends made at RHP are some of those who deserve to be recognized for their patience and kindness as I finish out my high school years and in the time after. I thank you for being people that I can rely on in making me smile and for being understanding during a variety of situations.