All I can say, is Thank GOD for private school and it's willingness to put me on the team. Whether it was because there were so few of us or because our parents paid a not insignificant amount for us to be there, it frankly doesn't matter. I found my uncoordinated, seriously uncomfortable self on the JV basketball team with as close to no basketball skills as one can get.
There was one girl. The most outgoing, the most universally loved girl in our class and one of the best basketball players (the only Freshman on the varsity team) was SO unbelievably kind to me. Amidst the rolling eyes, she would come up and physically rearrange my arms and legs until they were at least close to the correct place. She'd stop and spend 30 seconds re-explain what our coach had just spent 15 verbose minutes trying to say, boiling it down so that it made sense to me.
She didn't have to be so kind, but in a world of mean high school girls it just who she was.
There are few things that I feel defined my high school experience and basketball was one of them. I played for all four years and learned an incredible amount from being a part of that team. I learned that my body is capable of more than I thought. I learned that you are who you choose to be, that you define yourself with each action and that you can change your mind. I would have quit the basketball team if it hadn't been for I-Shien.
Two weekends ago, several high school friends and a handful of post-high school friends got together in Jacksonville to celebrate I-Shien's30th birthday. Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday I-Shien Shiao!! We love you more than you know!
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| March 31, 2012 |
2 comments:
I got tears in my eyes when reading this. (Awkward?) Anyway, the world needs more people like this!
Anna, that was so incredibly nice and I am completely humbled...something I needed this week. Thank you.
It is so funny to hear other people's perspectives on first encounters and this one made me smile. Thank you again for traveling and making my 30th so special and most of all thank you for sticking by our friendship...OHS class of 2001 it is truly unique, unusual, strange, incestuous, and the most complete relationship I have ever wanted, so thank you again for the kind words and being a part.
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