When I Jump Rope

     As I explain my endeavors and goals for the future, a smug look illuminates from his face. I look down at the crumbling cement and try to conceal my disappointed look; he questions why I waste my time doing an activity that has no purpose, an activity that is not deemed as an “official sport”.

     Memories rapidly flood into my brain, remembering times where I have sacrificed my social life, spending many hours in the gym. If I said that I was a competitive jump roper, he would not understand the work that comes with it and, how I feel when I jump rope.    

     When I’m jumping rope, I think about myself back when I was an eight-year-old girl with a passion and a drive to succeed. I think of the girl who did not have an innate talent for her sport, but pushed her self to reach greatness.

     When I’m jumping rope, the loud slap of the rope hitting the floor fills my heart with pure bliss. Flashbacks emerge to the days, when my legs would get scarred from whip marks. As I traveled to different places, from windy beaches to dry deserts in Arizona, my red and white beaded jump rope stayed by my side.

     When I’m jumping rope, the pressure to prove myself is overwhelming. My hands turn cold as I prepare to compete. My legs shake as I think about the people counting on me. Thoughts of failure and stress fill my mind. The pressure suffocates me; I am trapped at the bottom of a well, air and light is running out.

When I’m jumping rope, my mind goes somewhere else. When I hear the crowd scream, adrenaline rushes through my body. I transform into a different person, a person who is confident in their abilities.

When I’m jumping rope, the pain is extreme, but my body becomes numb. My arms tense up, but my mind tells me to proceed. Sweat runs down my face, as the hot piercing sun heats my body. The sharp steel wire cuts my leg, but I continue.

When I’m jumping rope, the stress of the world is lifted off my shoulders.  I become numb to the issues in my life. Life becomes simples, goals become attainable. Time is frozen still, and practicing my hardest becomes my only concern.

     When I’m jumping rope, I think of the change from the eight-year-old girl to the national champion.  I think of the love and the passion that started it all. Mainly, I think of the challenges and hardships I faced to achieve.