Dear Ellie, 

I don’t know where you are today, but right now it is the 27th of October, 2021. Last night was another bad night. You sobbed your eyes out and there is so much frustration in life. But your AP Government and Spanish grades won’t matter in ten years, sh*t they won’t matter in five years anyway! And if there is one thing that came as a sign through the video you just watched in Composition, it would be that you have to find the good in every awful day. You need to be aware of the environment you’re in because this place and the people you surround yourself with are going to make the largest impact on your mood and actions. The man in the video was dying of cancer, he explained that he was the strongest and the healthiest he had ever been and he didn’t break down a single time throughout his speech. A car is only a thing. Money is just an object of trade. Although there is no wizard to make his symptoms and diagnoses flip off like a light switch, he chose to cover them up, and appear like he was just another human being… because he was.

When a coach sees that you are struggling, they are going to push you. So what if you are the only girl in your group, you are all humans, living on a giant floating rock in outer space. He sees that you care, that you want it more than anything so he is going to push you harder than you have ever been pushed. Know your happiness, where it emanates from, and where you can collect it. Nothing is gone, you have everything you need to change your attitude and find the sunshine. Today was–in my mind–the most dreadful day of my life. But nothing has changed. The dark yellow sun still rises over the tree line behind your house. The rays of the sun still wake you up each morning, and the wild weeping willow in the backyard still remains. Never let your feelings engulf your personality. Remember, humans are humans, money is money, grades are solely a letter. Effort means everything, love your life, love yourself, love the things you hate, love the beauty of nature and the friends and family it brings you closer to.

Best wishes,

Ellie