Revenge and Remorse

The buzzer cries and I realize that it is already end of the period. How is it that I am face-to-face with the bright green vinyl mat beneath me? Dazed, I realized that in the blink of an eye, I descended from a position of integrity to one of struggle and submission. One hundred twenty seconds remain and I have the ability to alter the status of my team; everyone is nervous at this point, even my coach. I think about my season-and-a-half of hard work and want to prove my ability to everyone watching. My teammates are cheering me on just as the third period is starting, but realistically, they are not expecting much.
This was my first experience as a varsity wrestler during my sophomore year of high school. That night, I was awarded the last match, giving me ample time to “prepare” myself. Seconds seemed like minutes, minutes like hours, and hours like days. My mind switched back and forth, imagining victory one moment and defeat the next. All of a sudden, my fears intensified as the situation shifted from bad to worse. The score was nearly tied and it was my turn to wrestle. The tension in the gym was seemingly growing without bound. My teammates explained to me that as long as I did not get pinned, we would win the match. With that in mind, I was content until I was faced with one of the most respected wrestlers in my county and in the state of New Jersey. No one from my high school had beaten him in three years and from his body language, I knew he was confident that he could obliterate me. I narrowly survived the first two periods of the match, four minutes down and two to go; the team win was so close I could smell it. The third period started and before I knew it, I was struggling as my opponent quickly put me to the mat and began to roll me towards my back. By focusing my mental and physical strength, I was able to find the awesome power necessary to withstand the pin, resulting in a deserved team win.
My entire team and the audience were rhapsodic after that match. I was sure that the “David! David!” chant that seamlessly emerged from the stands could be heard miles away. At this very moment, my life forever changed. It became evident that the true meaning of success is not derived from the superficial but from within. I began to have flashbacks to the demanding three-hour practices each day and my additional hour workouts at home and did not regret a minute of it. From that moment on, very little posed a threat to me whether it was sports, schoolwork, or my long-term goals. If I set my mind to it, I realized, I could accomplish virtually anything. From that night onward, I was reawakened as an athlete, as a student, and as a person.