I spent the week in Dayton,Ohio for the Winter Guard International World Championships. I was fortunate enough with my job to be able to leave for week with no problems. That's the great thing about being a nurse...you work sun, mon,tues and don't have to work again till the next week wed, thurs, fri. What a sweet deal.
Soooooo..... Flanagan was amazing. Simply unreal. I knew they were ready, I knew they were prepared and I knew they wanted it. But I had no idea what was about to happen. I didn't know that it was possible to have that much fire at such a young age. They showed up and made the arena take notice. They were a class act from start to finish and made me so proud to stand next to and infront of them.
I felt honestly, like i was living a dream. Oh wait.....I am.
Teaching these kids is a gift I cherish everyday. Saying goodbye to these seniors is something I keep pushing out of my mind. I feel so connected to each and every one of them. The journey to this championship was long but damn was it fun. They all poured their hearts into this product and believed in us as instructors. We said jump and they said how high, we said give more and they did. I don't believe its like that everywhere. I always think to myself...i wish other instructors could get a chance to teach these kids for a year...hell...for a day. They would NEVER want to leave.
It's always so hard coming home from WGI. I'm pretty sure everyone involved gets the blues. It's a crazy feeling to get home, full of pride, medals and trophies and have to go back to your real life. Tonight I walked into the hospital and suddenly i'm just Emma the nurse. It's emotional in it's own way. I want the rejoicing and celebrations to continue. But they stop. But then I realized something. The reason color guard is so special to me now is BECAUSE it is not all I have. I use it as an outlet. A creative and spiritual release. I used to only have color guard in my life and while i loved it so much, it didn't feel like it does now. It is so much more now. I can't even explain it. Leaving the hospital after a weary shift...and walking into that gymnasium filled with smiling, silly teenagers is the greatest feeling. They are an instant "pick me up" and a perfect start or end to any day.
I absolutely thought that once I became a nurse that would be it. My teaching would be over. But one thing I've learned over the last few years is that NOTHING is impossible.
If you want to do things, do them.
If you want to change careers, change it.
If you want to win a world championship, win it.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING AND WILL DO ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU JUST PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER AND BEGIN...ONE STEP AT A TIME. DEMAND GREATNESS AND GREATNESS WILL COME.
Thank you to my Flanagan family for giving me the most amazing years of my life. For making me a better person just by association and for always demanding the best from me. I hope I've given you guys half as much as you've given me.
Let's do this again next year ;)
Emma
No comments:
Post a Comment