Dying of thirst, knees scraped, with sweat and dirt framing my face, anticipating my position on the soccer team. My shin guards left an imprint on my legs from digging in. After all week of sprinting and pushing my body over the limit, I was two seconds away from falling apart. Name after name, the coach read off the all my teammates sitting around me, but 2. Some unknown freshman and mine.

Rejection stabbed at my chest. All my friends had smiles on their faces, while I was sporting a frown. Cheering and screaming how promising the soccer team will turn out this year. I was merely forgotten. I slouched while waiting for my father to pick me up. My dad's car whirled into the Mount parking lot with a smile on his face. I immediately felt worse. As I told him the news, he tried to comfort me and make positive remarks. None if his comments stuck. I was not in the elite group known as the soccer team.

Moping around the house for days, my brother registered me to partake in an oil pastel art class. I sauntered into the stone building waiting for the class to end before it even began. In sea of faces, my brother’s was the only one I knew. Weeks went by when one day Austin could not attend a session. Of course I tried to skip, but my mother was not having it. I knew no one even after weeks in the class. I took a sit in the back and begun unpacking my supplies. I kept trying and failing to finish my atrocious painting of a tree blowing in the fall wind.

A girl with pink tips in her hair, a stud diamond in her nose and bracelets running up the length of her arms was concentrating on her faultless painting next to me. I think her name started with a K? Kelly, Kelsey, Kristen? She inspected my painting and showed a display of straight white teeth. "Wow, your painting is really good, I love the color schemes you incorporated in your work." She emphasized. I was taken aback by her words. My painting was good? This was news to me. I thanked her, but I didn't believe it. She began to discuss multiple high-class art terms I never even heard of. I just nodded my head. This girl could talk. A student called her to quiet down and I discovered her name was Kristen. I kept zoning in and out as she blabbed. Then, she told me to read this book "Zen and the art of happiness." She went on about how the book changed her life and really spoke to her. I was intrigued. I read the book and knew Kristen was right. The book was written about how we are all connected with one another and the Universe.

This book changed my philosophy on life. After I closed the book, a new revelation dawned upon me. My mind instantly wondered of how I got cut from the soccer team. I would not of been reading this book, if it was not for Kristen. Life is all about timing. My way of thinking and my perspectives on the world changed drastically. This I believe that every negative situation leads to a positive outcome.

My belief is carved into my daily life. Every day something goes wrong. No matter how I try to change it. I inhale a deep breath and just breathe. I now know my negative situations will lead to a greater opportunity. My statement is important to me because it made my outlook on life much more positive. Why look for the bad when there is good?

Honestly, my outlook on life was bleak. I never really thought about how the Universe is a part of us. I know that getting cut from the soccer team was no mistake. I was meant to change my outlook on life. Meeting the girl with the pink tips changed my life. If not for getting cut from the soccer, I would never have met Kristen. My belief stemmed from getting cut from the soccer team. I have to thank the soccer coach one day.

Pieces of paper composed with a bright yellow cover transformed my life. The pages with a small font made me reevaluate my life. It may be a small book, but it in no way had a small impact on me. How insane that one moment can define your life? It may be a minuscule moment, but can have a rippling effect on your whole life. Some people may not even know it, but not me. I am aware that each moment will lead me to my path of happiness.