You might see a pretty young girl, but I see a WARRIOR. This is my 13 year old daughter, who took a monstrous risk this week…
Clara is a volleyball player. She’s a really excellent volleyball player — she can smash that ball and jump and hustle with the best of ’em. So this past week, she decided to try out for an elite volleyball club — the best of the best in our city try out and only a handful make it. She knew she was taking a risk. Our conversations this past week leading up to tryouts went something like,
“Mom, I’m so nervous, I feel sick!”….”I know, sweetie, but you are so good! I’m proud of you for trying!”
“Mom, what if I don’t make it?”…..”All you can really do is put yourself out there and trust that God is with you and that the very best thing for you will be done. Stand tall!”
“Mom, I’m not as good as lots of other girls trying out. What if I embarrass myself?”…..”You’re taking a risk in trying, sweetie. You’re making yourself vulnerable, but does that mean you shouldn’t even TRY? I am SO proud of you for trying!”
“Mom, what if (name of friend) makes it, but I don’t?”…..”Then, we will celebrate her success and cheer her on, and you’ll keep working hard and enjoying volleyball. I’m so proud of you!”
“WHAT IF….” How much of what holds us back in life begins with this phrase?
What if….I’m too scared?
What if….I fail?
What if….I’m embarrassed?
What if….Someone else is better?
As a mom, my instinctual desire is to pave the way for her. To linger at tryouts to help somehow. To maybe chat up the coach who’s making the decisions. Sometimes to even encourage her to NOT try because I’M afraid of her being disappointed or hurt!
But I encouraged her to put her whole self out there this week. WAY out there to compete with incredible, tiny-volleyball-shorts wearing, jump-serving, UBER competitive warriors in their own right. I encouraged her to TRY her best and to be vulnerable.
She came home after the last day of tryouts, crumpled onto the floor, and cried tears of embarrassment. Tears of disappointment and humiliation. “Mom, I’m so much better than I was at tryouts today. I’m sure I didn’t make the team. I’m so embarrassed.”
I got down on the floor with her and hugged her….Looked deep into her sad green eyes and saw her pain….all I could say was, “I am so incredibly PROUD of you and how brave you are, sweet girl”
The friend was offered a spot on the team last night, and do you know what Clara’s response was when I told her the news? She had a troubled look on her face and she immediately asked “Did she make the A or B team?”
“She made the A team”
“Oh GOOD! That’s the BEST team! I can’t wait to hug her!”
A brilliant joyful smile broke over my girl’s face, she quickly grabbed her phone to congratulate her friend….. and tears of pride welled in my eyes. THAT GIRL IS A WARRIOR.
She battled Fear.
She battled “I’m not good enough”.
She battled Failure and Embarrassment.
And she came out the other side standing tall and loving in the most beautiful, selfless way I’ve ever seen.
If you love this story, friends…..I’ll bet it’s because there’s a warrior within YOU too. A warrior that might be STUCK and HIDING under the comparisons and “what ifs” of life. A warrior that KNOWS the path that you are to take….but, oh….what if…..?
Put yourself out there this week, friends…..WAY OUT THERE. You might make the team, and you might not. But you can be SO PROUD of yourself for trying! Stand tall and remember that God goes with you! oxox Daiq
