Category: Bits and Pieces

Remember their families.
Remember their words.
Remember their likes.
Remember their dislikes.
Remember their jobs.
Remember their cars.
Remember their bravery.
Remember their sacrifice.

Remember the lives they led, the people they met, and the things they did.

Remember 9/11. And remember to keep moving forward.

The past week of my life has been so much fun, it’s hard to put it into words. Every minute of every day, I’ve seen and done things I would never see or do back home. And that’s fantastic. But now, at the end of the week, I have to say I’m excited to go home. I’m excited to see my Daddy. And my doggy. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed, eat in my own kitchen, and shower in my own bathroom. I had lot of fun this week with my relatives, but I must admit, I’m anxious to return home.

I just saw the Washington Mystics play the Atlanta Dreams, a WNBA showdown. My team and I got to sit on the Mystics bench as the professionals warmed up. We made posters to cheer on the Mystics, got free Adidas t-shirts, and appeared on the jumbo screen three or four times. Some of our players even got to go on the court and do a “skills drill” during halftime. Plus, the Mystics won! It will be a night to remember for me and my team.

Playing sports is about lots of different things. It’s about getting into shape. It’s about getting to be a better player. It’s about being socially active. And, yes, sometimes it’s about winning. But in order to win, it’s important to be a team. To do that, teammates need to connect with each other, and really bond. They need to lose as one, win as one, and play as one.

Every time I turn the corner I see it. It makes me smile and giggle like a school girl, it makes me blush as red as a tomato. I see it at basketball. I see it at swim. I see it at school. I see it everywhere. It makes me feel young, pretty, and happy. Can you guess what it is?

In the next few weeks, I’ve got a lot going on. I have something I have to do every single night. I have rehearsal for the play I’m in, Beauty and the Beast. I am currently on two basketball teams. And, I have swimming every night. I feel bad that I have so many activities, because my brother and I have our SOL’s over the next few weeks, and most nights we’ll get home pretty late. My mommy told me to brace myself for being stressed out and tired. Oh, I braced myself. It still sucks. I sometimes wish I could go back to being a baby, without a care in the world. But then I realize that my life is great, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Not even the chance to clear my calendar.

When I’m out in public and I’m bored, I notice my surroundings more than usual. So I play a game with myself. When I see a person or family, I think to myself, “What is their story?”. I make up a background for each person. It may be dead on, it may be nowhere near right, but that’s the fun part. I wonder what people think my story is when they look at me.

Sometimes, I want to show my true colors. I want people to know what I believe in and what I support. However, I’m not ready for the whole world to know. So, instead of political statements, I make political whispers. I put a symbolic wallpaper on my lock screen or write something disguised as a poem that is really showing what I believe. I don’t think I should have to wear dress shoes to promotion. I want to wear sneakers. So I will. Someday, I’ll make a political statement. But for now, I’ll keep my volume down low.