Empty Thoughts

Same

You know the funniest thing happened the other day. I was walking to pick up my little sister from her girl scouts meeting and I got there about 10-15 minutes early. The fields that my high school uses for football practice are the fields of my sisters elementry school. And there's a set of swings right by the fields and I had this urge to go sit on a swing and watch football practice. And so I did. I sat listening to my music and dragging my converse on the ground as I slowly swung back and forth watching football practice. As a dancer I've never really appreciated football. It's just not my thing and we've all heard "if ballet were any easier it'd be called football."

But that day I sat there on those swings and I really enjoyed watching practice. I enjoyed it because I gained a new appreciation for football. As I watched all I saw was the same discouraged look that dancers get when we're yelled at the exact same way. I saw the same determination in every boys eyes. The same inner strength to keep going even when they felt pain or discouragment. It was the same strive for perfection that every dancer has. It was the repetition. And the war. It was all the same.

I could practically see them going home and looking in the mirror and feeling like they're not good enough. That they don't have enough muscle. Or they're too fat. Or they weren't as good as their worst enemy. Or even worse. That they weren't as good as their best friend. I could almost see the thoughts running through their minds. They have to prove themselves. To their coaches. To their friends. To their teammates. To their parents. To themselves.