Of Donuts, Dance, and Soccer…



“Just choose one,” said my mom.  I was four and stared wide-eyed at the selection of flavors for Dunkin’ Donuts donuts.  The most appealing and colorful was the vanilla frosted with sprinkles, and every time we went on a weekly walk to the Dunkin’, that’s what I picked.

I was five, at the corner store, and confronted with a mosaic of brightly colored candy wrappers.  There were just so many colors to choose from and I chose different ones every time we went inside.

I was six and at the Barnes and Noble, searching for a Roald Dahl book.  When I found that he had written so many, I couldn’t decide which one.  I got The Witches that day and when I finished it, I wanted more an asked to go back.  So I eventually ended up with six.

Then I was sixteen.  I ballroom danced, was a member of a dance company, did ballet, played varsity soccer, managed boy’s basketball, swam, and held leadership positions in school clubs.  As the work load got heavier, I slept less and less, but I still finished all my school work and participated in my extracurriculars.  I love all the activities I did and couldn’t imagine leaving them; I met so many interesting and talented people, was given so many opportunities, and couldn’t cope with the idea of missing out.

That was sophomore year.  My parents told me not to play soccer junior year for fear of injuries and not enough time devoted to studying.  I had stopped managing basketball and I had swimming as a class instead, so I thought it would be fine to continue all the extracurriculars that I did.  I was expressly told not to join soccer but I couldn’t help myself.  I told my parents I had some extra club meetings after school or went running but instead went to practices and games.  I tried as hard as I could to make sure that the clothes and equipment were concealed in my bag, and I went into the laundry room at midnight when my parents were sleeping.  I hate lying to my parents but it was something I really wanted to do; there was just something about the open field, the team, and the fun that I needed.  I’m fairly sure my parents figured it out by the end of the season, but they never said anything to me.

I could never “just choose one.”  There’s too much to do, too many places to see, and to many things too enjoy.  There are the things that just stick, some things you need to have or do.  And what I want right now, is a vanilla frosted donut with sprinkles.