The one not chosen

I was a preemie and an opps baby! There was 16 years age difference between my oldest sister and I and 6 years (almost 7 years) between my next sibling. So my experience with the outside world during the first five years of my life was very limited. I was home all day, everyday with my mom. Babysitters were my older siblings and life was very protective and simple.
So going to kindergarten was a traumatic experience for me. I was a shy and quiet little person. I lacked self confidence. In addition my red hair brought me a lot of unwanted attention.
And as I progressed through my school years I lacked confidence and the know-how when it came to PE or teams at recess. I was always one of the last, if not the last one, chosen when it came to teams. It did bother me a bit but not like it probably would most kids.

And then along about my sophomore year in high school I made a new friend. Someone who loved life and loved to laugh. One of my best friends I'd have for life, Shelly was and is a sweet person. Hanging out with her made me feel good. She taught me to have confidence and I'm sure she kept me on the right track with making good choices in high school while many of our classmates chose alcohol, sex and drugs -we chose to have simple fun-eating and playing tennis or at worse driving around on Friday or Saturday nights. This fun gave me confidence. Shelly was a farm girl, just like me. She was number 13 out of 14 kids in her family. She wasn't very athletic but yet she would get out there and participate in PE-which motivated me. But more than anything Shelly taught me how to not care what others thought or said about me. I grew in high school to have confidence and make right choices because of one of my best friends.

Shelly and I became a force in PE! Those farm skills helped make us a team in the various PE activities! We could hold our own with the male members of our class and it was fun to compete. I was no longer the last one chosen. Often times Shelly or I were chosen to be team captain-and as long as we were together we worked together, competed and had a blast. Yes I went on to get A's in PE (while other girls who stood around and watched did not)!!

There always has to be the "last one chosen" but how you deal with it or how you let it affect you says a lot about your character. My character as an elementary student was that of being clueless! I was just doing my own thing. And it took a good friend to teach me that being chosen last or not being the best was okay. She always taught me to do my own thing and be my own person. And I have to say to this day being the "one not chosen" or the last one chosen is God's way of bringing me to much better things! There are better things ahead than being "chosen" for whatever it is going on in your life right now. Just wait and see....

Positive thought of the day: Let go and let God. His plans are so much better than what we think we want or need!