(16, IL, USA) Jackie - Full Circle Moment

At the age of five, I wanted to be a ballerina. At the age of ten, I wanted to be a gymnast and a cheerleader. At the age of twelve, I wanted to be a dancer. Throughout my life, I remember wanting to be so many things. I wanted to master everything I aspired to be. Every day, I'd go outside and tumble on the hard, wet grass in my front yard. I'd tumble and tumble until the sun set and my mom yelled for me to come back inside. Every day, I'd make up my own choreographies and cheers to music I listened to on YouTube, practicing them until my arms and legs ached.

I wanted to be all these things so badly. I'd watch videos of Simone Biles dominating every event at the Olympics and wish I could be an outstanding gymnast like her. I'd watch videos of the amazingly graceful prima ballerinas gracing the stage with such elegance and beauty that I could only dream of. I'd watch videos of All-Star cheerleaders flipping and jumping high into the sky and wish that I was one of them. I'd watch videos of professional dancers effortlessly moving their bodies to the beat of the music and wish that I could move the way they did.

I wanted to be like them so much, but I always thought it was too late for me. Most of the people in those videos started their sports when they were very young; they'd practically been doing it all their lives. Most of them also had families that could afford to pay for their sport. They had it all. Because of these burdens, my passion for dancing, tumbling, and cheering faded away, and I never once thought to revive it again.