Personal Narrative: Mama Duck

There is no better way to bond with other people than to see them raw, vulnerable, and pushed to their bodies absolute limit at six o’clock in the morning, “Mama Duck, good run.” The nickname stuck. At first it was a little odd, but it grew on me really quickly. Anyone that I had ever once encountered my presents understood the name. It was cute, so of course, I went with it. However, no one understood my nickname more than my little ducklings- my cross country teammates. They call me “Mama Duck”, because I am practically ready for almost any problem they throw my way. I’m ready to sort out the drama, ready to be their emotional support, and I’m ready to hand out the tough love they sometimes need. They say, I’m nurturing. Unexpectedly, something that cross country taught me a lot about. How can such a grueling sport, like cross country, teach someone to be nurturing? Well, it’s strange. As a senior, I look back at where I began and reflect upon how far I’ve come. I’ve learned to be dedicated, supportive, independent, strong, and self-determined. However, what baffles me the most is to look at my teammates humble beginnings and to reflect upon how far they have come. Our diverse society is made up of unique individuals with different capabilities and strengths that come together to form
I see how different all our strengths are; some competitive, others not so much, some fast, some integrity driven, some strong, and others enduring. As “Mama Duck” I praise their strengths, but we all have our weaknesses too. I’m supportive in these areas where self-consciousness may be what is holding them back, because everyone has the ability to be the best version of themselves and improve on all aspects of their lives. Our differences is what makes us a team when we step on the starting