Mastering a Skill

In my opinion their lies several well needed and necessary skills that all should master to make it in this world. There is ambition, drive, passion, desire, honesty, love, confidence, and so much more. I am going out on a limb to say that confidence is one of the most needed and necessary skills that one would need to master. Confidence will bring passion and drive and ambition etc.

Now confidence is not to say pride or an ego trip, but rather a feeling of knowing you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to. My mother used to tell me those very words that I could become anything that I wanted to be if I would just set my mind to it. I remember as a young boy that I had the passion and the want to become one of the best basketball players of all time. I have always been small but, I did have height, which was the only thing on my side. I had some talent, but not much. I had drive, I had passion, and I had heart. I just never could make it. Why…you might ask. Well the confidence was not there. My father was not a very supportive person to me when I was a young lad especially when it came to sports, he would always let me know and remind me of my setbacks or my failures, or my lack of weight. These things were already clear without having to say anything. And has a young boy it is very hard for me to strengthen my confidence when I had no support even from my own immediate family.

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It took a lot of years, a lot of sweet and pain and loneliness to actually get to where I am now. I spent several long months in the Marine Corps which defiantly helped my confidence level very much so. My father is still the same and my mother as well, but I am much older now, I would like to think much wiser as well. I have realized that even though I love the game of basketball and that may never change, and I am sure that if I put my mind and heart into it I could possibly make further than I ever had now. But basketball is just not where I feel called to anymore. I have always written things rather it was poetry or journal entries or short stories or what have you. My English teachers in high school always told me that I had a very deep and powerful gift in writing I just never paid it any mind until now. Of course at that young age all I wanted was to have some fun and play sports. Just like any other young lad I wanted to be the best in the game or on the court and get with the most beautiful cheerleader; you know the story book type thing, but I never I got there.