I believe in giving life lessons. I personally have been taught this one life lesson by my parents and siblings specifically, and the lesson continues to grow out into new topics. When I look at this image I see teenage girls playing volleyball. I do not see their brains working out problems of what they might have to do later, or how they might get it done in time since they are committed to something else at the moment. This is called stress. For some people, it consumes their lives. It makes decisions for them and it effects the way they might be able to achieve their goals. Other people don't let the stress get to them. They believe in themselves and their work ethic and they know that they can achieve any goal they want to. Stress... Consumes me. My parents and family talk to me constantly, saying I am the only one who can control my emotions, I am the only one who can make it go away. The heated work at 1AM, the tears that roll down my face from the headache that won't quit, the backaches from my trembling nerves. They say there is no reason for it and I can calm myself down and just get to work, but then I think to myself what if I can't calm my nerves. What if I can't get it done. What if I fail. What if I disappoint you. Then I have to stop for a moment and think... "What if I disappoint you"? This is my life lesson. You should not do everything to make your parents proud. I want my parents to love me and be proud of me all the time no matter what I do. Why do I try so hard and get so worked up to do that for them when I know they already love me unconditionally. I need to stop thinking about doing this work for them and just doing it for myself. I can only make myself happy. I can only make myself proud. I am the only one who can control my own feelings. I need to decide for my self, is sports what I want to do, does that make me happy. These girls playing volleyball in this image have courage. They decided to play volleyball because it is what they wanted to do. They might be stress cases and they might fall down and cry trying to fit everything into their schedule, but they do what they love regardless. They follow their dreams and try to make themselves proud and happy. Stress does not consume them, and I hope in the future it will stop consuming me.