I believe life should be like a game of basketball. The rules are simple and easy to follow, you know what you have to do, and you work as a team, but think individually. When you walk out of the locker room, psyched by the coach’s speech, you’re waking up, ready for the new day. You walk out onto the court, the fans are yelling, and your footsteps are echoing on the hard wood floors. You come out of your room and eat breakfast with your mom and dad. You take your place on the bench, excited and nervous about the game. You’re on your way to school hoping you did all your homework.
As the coach pulls you into the game, you go over all the plays in your head one last time before the big test. The adrenaline starts and all else is forgotten as you walk in the classroom. Throughout the game, the ball is passed back and forth with baskets being scored all the time. Homework is changing hands and new projects are being assigned.
You speed down the court, the ball is in perfect rhythm with your hands, then you take that unneeded, false last step as the teacher calls a penalty for talking during class. Throughout the game, as you take breaks for lunch and study hall, you find yourself relying more and more on the energy you stored and built up during practice.
At the end of the third quarter, you know you’ve won, the rest is just clean up. As you catch the bus home and finish that last assignment, the fans jump to their feet clapping and cheering. It’s the best feeling in the world. Everything is how it should be, no more squeaking shoes signaling the end of class and the beginning of another, no more hard pushes or surprise quizzes, and no more hisses and boos from the girl in your fourth period class. You can call your friends to discuss key victories and all the new homework.
Later, as your head hits the pillow, everything still makes sense, no incomplete passes or messed up relationships, no traveling or missing the bus, and no more yelling, just quiet. You know you have until next time to study for the next big test. Life is how it should be.