PUBLISHED IN, "THE NEVADA SAGEBRUSH," HTTP://NEVADASAGEBRUSH.COM At sixteen years old the first person I ever loved to unexpectedly away. He was my boyfriend of two years and I felt like the world was falling out from underneath my feet. His death took me by complete and utter surprise. Junior year of high school was already hard enough. Trying to balance track, ACT prep, school, and applying for colleges was taking its toll on me already. I felt like the only time I had to myself and connect with Scott was when I ran. So there I was. On the starting line of my regional race. This was the big race before the state meet and would also be the race to position me with a state rank. My heart was pumping fast, but I felt relaxed. I felt that this moment was meant to be mine. “Starters take your marks,” The announcer said. I took a deep breath. “Get set,” okay Reighan, you got this. “Go”. My soul left my body but my legs were moving fast. “Scott be with me,” was the mantra I repeated over and over again. I took control of the race and made every move perfectly. Every motion, every breath, in harmony with one another all the way around the track. Then I reached the final stretch. I was in the lead, but slowing down. I pumped my arms, my legs, everything was shutting down. Everything. “Scott be with me,”I repeated to myself. I looked at the clock, 2:08, 2:09, 2:10 the seconds ticked away. I looked straight ahead, gasping for air, somehow moving my legs while they were completely numb. I staggered, slid, and fought my way across the finish line collapsing down to the ground. At that moment I was full of an un-explainable amount of emotion. I realized that my race wasn’t only dedicated to Scott, but it was dedicated to me. Sixteen years old and I figured it out. I not only learned how to race, but I learned how to live. A perfect race. There’s just no such thing. A perfect life? Ha. I've raced hundreds of times before that moment, but this race was by far my best performance. It didn’t matter how much training I did or how much strategy I applied or statistics I knew about the racers before hand. All that truly mattered was what was going on in my head that day and what I felt with my heart. If you have your mind right and your heart leading your life’s path, you’ll be unstoppable. With that, it’s easier said than done to get your mind and heart just right. The world we live in is a beautiful place but it is also good at deceiving us and making us think we want something we don’t. We follow the money, learn the tricks of the trade, and let go of ourselves to please the ones who think they know what’s best for us. That day I did me. I got mine. I followed my heart and turned off my mind. I didn’t do, I was. I will never forget that moment. I broke the school record by four seconds, was ranked 3rd in the state of Michigan in the 800 meters, and was recognized for great athletic achievement. But that’s not why I was happy. I found myself that day. I learned to live and to be. My race that day resembled a metaphor of my life and was a defining moment of who I am today.
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Thanks for being hereI feel my purpose is to show readers and viewers different perspectives of the world through the eyes of others. Everyday I challenge myself to think of new theories and concepts, change-up my routine and viewpoints, and allow myself to be creative both mentally and physically. I feel knowledge is power and when we choose to evolve and understand ourselves, we choose to understand our world and the people in it. Topics
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