Adversity: A Short Story

When you were usually the most athletically talented girl in school, failure wasn't even a thought; until you start playing with the boys. I figured since I was stronger than all the girls maybe I could work out with the boys. We started to squat jump on an elevated platform. “Add another one, add another one” they said. Trying to keep up with them I started to add more. Until the one fatal moment when I jumped up and fell right on my butt. I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry but that would have just made me look soft. I mean the boys already looked at me like I was soft because I was a girl. I wanted to prove them wrong but for someone on top, that fall made it seem as if I had plummeted into the depths of the abyss.”I told you she couldn’t do it. Just face it girls can't jump as high as guys.” I thought to myself maybe they were right, who was I kidding they'll never respect me as an athlete.
It was a familiar face but a stranger in my eyes. He helped me up and told me to try it again. He looked at me and talked about adversity. He told me that you have a choice, either let adversity affect you and give up now or respond to it and let it motivate you. I tried again. I accomplished it; I squat jumped seven blocks. The familiar stranger looked at me and said “you have heart”. Who would have thought that those three words would have impacted me so much. He saw something in me that no one else ever had.He inspired me and became my mentor, role model, and friend. His name is Jeremiah Brown and he changed my life