Having dreams and setting goals is important in every person’s life. By having aspirations and envisions, one has a sense of purpose and fulfillment to be the best that he or she can be to reach their goals. However, there will undoubtedly always be troubles that can get in the way of any dream coming true. These roadblocks can include nature, other people, fear, or physical limitations. Bella knew this better than anyone else, having experienced all of these together during a certain point in her life.
Bella’s soccer team had been in the state championship game against their rivals on the morning of the accident. It had always been one of Bella’s lifelong goals to play soccer in college, and for her it was not far out of reach. Scouts from many colleges were interested in recruiting players on her team, as they were almost always expected to win the state championship each year. Bella, being one of the star players on her team, was hopeful that one day she would receive a letter from a college asking her to play for their team. With her dream constantly in mind, Bella always made sure to maintain her good grades in school, make good choices for herself, and was always careful when playing soccer to prevent getting injured.
However as she was dribbling the ball down the field Bella was instantly knocked down by the opposing team’s strongest defender, leaving her sprawled on the ground and embarrassed. Similar tackles had happened countless times before, but something felt different this time. Bella instantly tried to recover to her feet from her fall, but felt an extreme rush of pain through her right foot as she applied pressure on it when attempting to stand up. She yelped in pain as she sank back to the ground, helpless.
One state championship and several doctors’ visits later, Bella was informed that her foot was severely broken and was predicted by her doctor it would take the entire winter to heal. A look of distraught immediately crossed Bella’s face, as she realized what this meant for her and her college soccer career. Due to her injury Bella would be unable to train and play soccer during the upcoming winter season, making her chances of her lifelong dream coming true very slim. Winter was the time when the scouts would look to recruit players, and all they would notice is Bella sitting on the bench.
Hearing the news was a stab in the heart for Bella and her family, as they began to understand the reality of the situation. “This cannot be happening,” Bella exclaimed with disbelief, her blue eyes filling with tears. “After everything I’ve worked for, this is what I get in return,” she remarked and began to feel foolish for her incredible dream that just a week ago was bound to become a reality. “I always knew I expected too much of myself, but I really thought I could do it.” Bella said, her voice breaking.
“Bella, you can’t give everything up now,” replied her brother Andrew. “You’re an amazing soccer player, everyone knows that. If you’re careful and work hard, I bet you’ll be cleared to play much earlier than the doctor expects. Colleges will see your determination to play and before you know it, I’m sure you’ll have offers flooding our mailbox, all of them hoping you’ll accept.” Bella had always admired her brother, and how he always looked on the brighter side of every situation no matter how bad it was. Although what he was saying seemed impossible, she realized that she needed to begin thinking the way Andrew did about her situation, and that her future soccer career was now up to her and the effort she put into making her dream come true. Bella knew the possibilities of slipping on her crutches in the harsh winter snow, classmates not always holding the door or waiting for her in a hurry to get to class, and the fear of adapting to a new way of life. However she knew that all of this was temporary, and just another bump in the road in the way of her reaching her lifelong goal, and that none of it would matter in the end once she was successful.
During the following weeks, Bella stayed true to the promise she made to herself by working hard in physical therapy, yet resting as much as she could. Although it wasn’t easy at times and she often got frustrated, she constantly reminded herself why she was pushing herself so hard to recover. Sure enough, exactly two months after her injury Bella was permitted by her doctor to ease back into playing soccer, as long as she remained cautious. She defied what her doctor had initially predicted, and was able to recover much quicker than expected. Her initial fear of playing again instantly disappeared once she felt the familiar comfort of the soccer ball at her feet for the first time in what seemed like forever. Bella regained her confidence, happiness, and strength,  and her dream was revived.
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“Good practice girls, rest up and I’ll see you tomorrow for the big game!” Bella’s coach shouted as she and her new teammates jogged off of the field. Bella was now playing soccer for the University of Michigan, which had been her dream school since she was little. She reflected back on the past year, all of the devastating things that happened, yet all of the amazing ones. Bella remembered clearly the moment when she was told her dreams would never come true. She also remembered the moment she received the letter in the mail, the letter proving everyone who doubted her wrong. Bella looked back on just how out of reach her new lifestyle once seemed to her just a few short months ago, and how proud she was of herself getting to where she was today. It seemed to Bella that everything in life happens for a reason, and life gives you setbacks in order to make you work hard for what you really want, and to appreciate what you have while it’s there.