I love her passion for life--she loves literature and nature and her family, her friends and watching people. One of her greatest passions since the age of 4 has been basketball. I can still remember her--so little, often the only girl on her team those first several years, fighting for the ball, loving the challenge. How strange it was for me who never played a sport to have a daughter who seemed to feel the most free when she was dribbling a ball. How strange it was for me to feel such exhilaration watching her play. I have always loved the look on her face as she intently played the game, completely in the flow. On the court, she was completely free.
Last week, Rachel went up for a lay up during a high school basketball game and collided with a player on the other team. We watched from the stands as our daughter who has loved and played this sport for 12 years and never been injured, did not get up. My heart sank deeper than I knew it could as I watched her curled away from the crowd on the floor holding her left knee. We knew it was bad. The next day, the orthopedic surgeon confirmed she has torn her ACL. She will need surgery to repair her knee and 9-12 months before she can play again-a time frame that takes her well into the season of her senior year.
Now I am in awe of her strength, her grace as she accepts this loss, a death of sorts. It's hard for me to believe she is only 16--to have such commitment, passion discipline and drive for something at her age is remarkable to me. To face the possibility of losing something so special to her, something she's given so much of her heart, body and soul to, is heartbreaking. I didn't know how sad it would be for me, how deeply I would miss seeing her on the basketball court with her team.
I am so proud of you Rachel. You are a beautiful and amazing young woman. How did I get so lucky to be your mother? I know you will take this challenge as you have taken every challenge--you will give it everything you have, you will not give up, you will learn from the hard parts and you will discover new treasures. I love you.
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