No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.
Helen Keller
Before the final game, life was an ordinary, daily routine. Each day, I awakened with a mental list of the tasks I had to complete before the end of the day. My routine wasn’t too complicated: class, soccer practice, studying and sleep. Oftentimes, I returned home from endless hours on the soccer field only to have to study until the early hours of the morning.
Having adapted well to my daily routine, I never imagined it would be altered. However, my life changed the day of the final game. It was the last game of the tournament, and the winner would capture the championship. Not only had my team been under vigorous physical training for the past four years in anticipation of this day, but emotionally, we were ready as well. I was ready. I entered the game with the mindset that the title was in our hands. We deserved it because our desire to win was so great, and we were hot!
“Captains!” called the referee. I approached the center of the field, and with confidence, looked my opponent in the eyes while giving her a powerful handshake, wishing her luck. As I took my position on the field, I knew it was time for the final game to begin. I took a deep breath and reassured myself that I would give this game my all, displaying the best of my abilities as if it were the last game I ever played.
“Goalie, Goalie,” yelled the man dressed in black and white. The two goalies simultaneously raised their right hands in the air, indicating that they were ready. The game could begin. This was it. The whistle sounded, and the ball was soon kicked in my direction. I received the ball and crossed it twenty feet toward the goal, just in time for my teammate to meet it and pound it right into the net. “Goal!” everyone shouted. The game had started out well.
But the momentum of the game soon grew intense as the opposing team came right back at us with a goal to tie the game at one to one. The game continued at an extremely competitive level throughout the first half and into the second. The score was still tied at one to one, until I received the ball with one minute to go. I needed to put the ball in the net, and I did just that, making the final score two to one. But it didn’t go exactly as planned.
In an attempt to block my shot, my opponent challenged me in midair. But instead of heading the ball, her body slammed into mine, leaving me unconscious in the middle of the field, while my teammates shouted cries of victory and horror at the same time.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a hospital bed, surrounded by family, friends and teammates, with a huge cast on my right leg. Also at my side were doctors, the determiners of my future. In a matter of moments, they would tell me the severity of my injuries.
To my dismay, I had torn every tendon in my ankle and would have to undergo an extremely rare surgery that had only been performed a limited number of times in the United States, with a mere 50 percent success rate. After hours of contemplation, I decided to chance the surgery, knowing that either way, many challenges would await me. Would I be able to finish the semester? What effect would it have on my social life, my grades, my GPA? These questions circled my head, and unfortunately, only time would provide answers.
After the surgery, I was no longer the independent person I had once been, for I had to depend on my boyfriend, Jordan, to assist me in even the simplest tasks. It was going to be a long, tough road to recovery, and I knew I couldn’t get through it without a positive attitude. Needless to say, I engaged in many mind exercises, which helped me attain the positive attitude that would aid in my adjustment to the changes in my life. I began to realize that I didn’t have to give up my old life completely, and I focused my energy on a favorite pastime: writing.
Even though it was necessary for Jordan to accompany me everywhere I went, I was still able to produce works of art in the silence and solace of my mind and spirit. Although I was not in physical control of half of my body, I still had control of my mind.
Looking back on the situation in its entirety, I am glad that the final game was, in fact, my final game. I have no regrets. I said I would give it 110 percent and play as if it were my final game. I did just that, and ultimately, I came out a winner. Although my accident robbed me of my physical abilities, it left me with the power of mind and forced me to discover my inner self. That final game, in retrospect, couldn’t have been more rewarding. Not only did we win, but I was able to discover a new level within. I guess I gained two victories that day.
Kelly Harrington