As I was approaching the moment of truth, I shook his hand and listened as Mr. Leball said, “We don’t have a spot for you on the varsity team, however we would like you to play for junior varsity.  It is your choice whether or not you want to do this.”(Dialogue)    I felt confused.  I didn’t make the team, but at the same time, I did make the team.  The junior varsity team is usually only sophomores, so I was compelled to ask, “Are any other juniors gonna play on JV?”.  “No. You will be the only one,” he said.  He allowed me to go home and think it over throughout the night.  Now I had a decision to make; play on the junior varsity team so I have a chance to make varsity next year,  or decide not to play and reduce my chances of making the team next year by a landslide.

I was torn.(One sentence paragraph)

When I heard there would be no other Juniors, I starting thinking very doubtfully.  I don’t want to play on a team with a bunch of people younger than me.  I won’t have any of my friends on the team.  I’m a junior.  I’m supposed to play varsity.  I had an idea of what I truly wanted, but I needed to hear it from someone else.  I began talking to as many people as possible, asking them their opinion.  “I didn’t make varsity, but they are giving me a chance to play on junior varsity.  I would be the only junior, though.  Do you think I should do it?” I would ask.  I asked students.  They said, “Yeah I’d probably do it,” in their uninterested tone of voice.  I called my mom, my dad, and my brother and they all gave the same response but in different words.  “I think it would be good for you to play a sport.  You will meet new friends and it will help you stay in shape.”  Although that may have been true, it wasn’t the answer I was looking for.  I was asking people questions and looking for an answer without realizing my question was rhetorical.  I knew what I wanted the whole time, I just needed someone to tell me that. 

My last phone call was a cry for help.  I called Uncle Val, a close family member of mine that I speak to frequently, and I explained to him my problem.  I was walking into the phone call expecting the same response as all the others.  I explained my dilemma once again, “Tryouts for volleyball were today.  I didn’t make the varsity squad, but they are giving me a chance to play with junior varsity.  I would be the only junior on the team.  What do you think I should do?”  I was surprised when I wasn’t hearing the same “if I were you I would…” answer.  Instead, he gave me exactly what I needed.

Ask your heart.(One Sentence Paragraph)

These three words made me confused.  What does he mean?  I asked whether or not I should play junior varsity, not for a lesson on spirituality. Despite my negative thoughts, I listened to what he had to say.  He gave me some simple instruction, and I thought, I might as well do them, nothing else is helping me.  As he instructed, I went into my bedroom and turned off all electronics.  I turned off the lights, propped myself up onto my bed, put my hand over my heart and began to breathe. Breathe in, 1...2...3...4.  Hold, 1...2...3...4...5...6...7.  Breathe out, 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8.  Breathe in, 1...2...3...4.  Hold, 1...2...3...4...5...6...7.  Breathe out, 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8.  I thought to myself the question I had.  Should I play volleyball this year?  As I lay there their in my dark room with my hand over my heart, the answer hit me in less than 5 minutes.  (IMAGERY)
I can’t explain how it happened, but suddenly I knew what I wanted to do.  I decided to play volleyball that year.  Not because of what others told me, but because of what my heart told me.  I knew the whole time I wanted to play volleyball, I would make good friends, and I would have a great time, but there was something blocking my judgement.  When I sat down, breathed, and asked my heart the answer came quickly.  After all, you always know the answer somewhere deep down in your heart.