Volleyball

 In high school my favorite sport was volleyball.  Mostly because I was good at it and when you're good at something you usually like it.  I still like it too.  Last Sunday I was lucky enough to get to hit up some of my sisters friends and play on a league in town.  It's been a while since I've played, but it all came roaring back.
I remember those early mornings during my junior and senior year, I was crazy, and would get up at the crack of dawn to go into the gym to practice my jump-serve.  Or somehow wrangle our setter to come in and set me a few balls.  I would pack my clothes for school, later kicking myself for working so hard because it's tricky to put on dry clothes when you are all sweaty.  I worked really hard then, and I thought today, why?  Why did I work so hard?  I thought about it throughout the day today and something dawned on me.  I worked hard because I loved it.
Just like in my job.  I ask myself: Why do you work so hard?  Why do you care so much?  Well, because I love it.  Not all days, but in my core, I love it.
When you love something, it compels you to want to work hard.  Like a relationship, a job, a hobby.  Really it can be anything, but it's those things that shape us; make us who we are.
So instead of looking back on those spent hours in the gym, feeling like I wasted good slumber hours, or regretting how much emphasis I put into sports in high school, when I should have been studying....I won't regret those decisions because they made me who I am.
I may have been incredibly hard on myself in those younger years of my life, wanting to be better, always improving, but I can always look back and know I gave it my all.  I put all of myself into those goals and I won't regret that.  Just like I will look back on these years of working so hard to be the best nurse I can be, do all that I can, because on that lovely day when I retire in 40 years(wow) I want to be able to say, I gave it my all.

That's me, back in the day

*So yes, I played some volleyball this weekend.  It was a blast.  I forgot my knee-pads and literally burned holes in my capri-pants, and then into my skin.  I have muscles that are sore, that haven't been sore since high school, or maybe college intramaurals, and I'm realizing I'm not as young as I once was.  But that's okay, I'm going back for more!