My Girls- Freewrite Ben 3/24/09

I was brought to tears yesterday when one of my track athletes confessed to me that her mother did not have enough money to buy her track shoes. That was not the worse of it. Tragedy has fallen on her doorstep. In addition, her mother is  unemployed and she continues to miss the absence of her father due to his untimely death many years ago. The world in which she lives is crumbling fast. She told me yesterday that I did not understand her and that I did not understand what she was going through. I had to explain to her that honey the person that you see today is not what I have always been. She explained that I seemed to have had everything handed to me growing up. Yet, there were times that we went without heat. There were times that my mother had to go to the food pantry to get food. We were on food stamps at least once in my life, yet that did not determine my life's path. I had a mother who was more than determined to show us that life was what we made it and that we could have an impact on the world if that is what we sought out to do.

My girl D and other girls like her need women in their lives to nurture them and show them that life is what you make it. I love my girls, especially my track girls. Most of my girls have never had the opportunity to participate in sports and organizations.  I looked at them, though, and something, something that they probably did not see. I am more than grateful to have the opportunity to coach these young ladies and I hope that I can be the change in their lives.  They are MY GIRLS!!