After failing the first time in any area of life, it is always encouraged that someone tries a second time. Quitting can protect a person from potential failure and possible victory or happiness. On October 22nd, 2015, a freshman, Annie Danielson, meets a 6’5” sophomore basketball college athlete at the University of Maine, whose sight captures her attention. Annie is originally from Oakland, California, where she has lived her entire life. Being far from home can be difficult for many but not the enthusiastic Annie. Her college decision created a two-week rift between her and her parents. According to her father, Mr. Danielson, “There are more capable schools here in California than in other states.”
During her teenage life, Annie suffered from depression, anxiety, and at some point, drug addiction. Being the only child in her family, she was always allowed her way. When she started being attracted to boys at school, she would ask her mother, “Is it okay if I ask him out?” Her mother encouraged, “Yes, my beautiful girl. Do not fear and remain true to yourself.” Even though Mr. Danielson was skeptical, he permitted her to pursue such relationships. “Only promise me that you will not get hurt,” he would say. As a sophomore in high school, Annie showed interest in Tommy, a sophomore.
Tommy was popular in school, a high school football team quarterback, and dreamed of getting to the National Football League. He repeatedly told his teammates, “I will play for the Niners in the NFL.” Girls in the school would try to get his attention but to no avail. He once told his best friend, “My eyes, for now, are just for one girl only.” Funnily, Tommy had a crush on Annie and always wondered how he would approach her. On a Friday evening after team practice, Annie walked toward Tommy and asked, “Do you mind sparing a minute or two?” He answered in excitement, “Not at all! Follow me.” They walked back to the playfield to get some privacy. After three minutes of Annie trying to gather the right words to explain how she felt about Tommy, he asked her, “Will you be my girlfriend?” They both giggled as he waited for her response.
Annie accepted the proposal and dated it for three months before an issue from Tommy’s home emerged. His parents were getting divorced, which meant he was vulnerable as he could not determine where he lived. Since his mother had custody and chose to move to Alabama, Tommy would go with her. Despite begging his parents to reconsider, his mother claimed, “There is nothing I can do.” He did not understand how he could break the news to his “future NFL wife,” as he usually called her.
At the start of the summer of 2013, as other students left school for the holidays, Tommy was forced to move to Alabama. “Pack your things and get ready. We cannot afford to be late”, his mother reminded. Faced with the difficulty of explaining the situation to Annie, he chose not to tell anyone in school about his issue. Without a call to Annie, he traveled with his mother to their new residence, hoping to start afresh. The situation haunted him, noticeable from his changed eating habits and social life. His mother felt inadequate as she could not return to California. After three weeks of constantly trying to reach him through the mobile phone, Annie started getting worried and visited his previous home in Oakland.
“That is what happened, Annie.” Tommy’s father explained everything to her, and while she seemed calm and understanding, she could not wait to reach home and cry her eyes dry. The next few days were difficult for her as she failed to believe it was happening, “It does not seem real mom.” This presented a loophole for her friends at school to introduce drugs into her life. “Why don’t you try this? It will help with the pain as long as your parents don’t discover”, her friend Jessica insisted. Annie accepted and did that throughout the entire half of the summer without her parents knowing. However, the change in her behavior was noticeable, which made them curious. Her mother told Mr. Danielson, “There is something I do not understand about her.” After investigation, he discovered that her only child had chosen drugs to escape her painful moments.
Mr. Danielson spoke with her, “I understand what you have undergone the past few weeks, but it is not a reason enough to choose drugs. I am willing to pay for your therapy, and together with your mother, I will support you.” She sobbed continuously for about thirty minutes in her father’s arms. After receiving guidance and counseling from a professional, she returned to her usual happy and energetic personality. However, since then, her parents have not allowed her to be involved in any intimate relationship. They always remember the events after their child was heartbroken, could not heal and chose drugs.
Even though this is understandable from a parent’s perspective, Annie felt constrained while in high school. Going to college offered her a chance to be “free” from her parents. She felt stronger and ready for another relationship as she still believed that she could still succeed in one. Meeting Sean, a sophomore at the University of Maine, reminded her of her previous relationship in high school. However, she trusted that she was capable of fighting adversity. The moral of the story is that failing in any aspect of life for the first time does not mean one should quit. It is a chance to learn how to handle issues differently and attempt again.