What we take for granted

What we take for granted, we often don’t learn to appreciate until they’re gone.  That was a major theme in my day-to-day life this past week. First, I had some foot pain which hindered the smoothness and flexibility of my saunter.  Second, my math teacher was left class early for an appointment, so we were just given a study hall session.  Third, varsity tennis practice ended this Wednesday and yesterday was the first weekday I didn’t have sports which made me feel oddly…empty.

I injured my foot playing tennis last week.  Over the weekend, I noticed some pain but didn’t pay much attention to it until this weekend when I tried to go for a 4 mile run.  Every step I took resulted in great throbbing until I decided to stop running.  I had to turn around and walk back after running 1.5 miles out.  I missed the exhilaration of running.  Although running can be quite tiring, and frankly, will hurt my legs if the distance is too extreme, there is a part of me that feels free when I can move at such speed.  Walking the 1.5 miles home felt dull, and neither my energy levels nor my stress levels seemed to have changed.  Being injured, I was unable to run for a few days and for me, that didn’t help my increasing stress levels that come with Finals exam prep.  I run to recuperate from a stressful day.  Unable to do that, I realized how much I’d taken being able to run for granted and the great relaxation that comes with the aftermath.

Varsity tennis session officially ended this past Thursday.  We won our last game which was a wonderful way to end the season.  Yesterday, for the first Thursday since March, I haven’t had to sit at school for 3 hours, waiting for practice to begin.  I was picked up and for the first time in a few months, I got home earlier than 5.  A month ago, I would’ve been very happy to go home; staying at school for 3 hours before practice began was very tiresome and I got very little homework done.  I suppose I took the team’s time together and practice for granted, because yesterday, I felt oddly more vacant.  I almost felt obliged to socialize with someone like I’ve been doing every evening with the team.  Now that the season is over; all I can appreciate is the time that I had.  

So I suppose be grateful for the present, because what we take for granted, we often don’t learn to appreciate until it’s gone.  By then, it’s sometimes too late.