Declaration Of Independence Essay

998 Words4 Pages

As Susan B. Anthony once expressed, “Independence is happiness.” The Declaration of Independence declares the inalienable rights guaranteed to each and every American. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”(Jefferson). When he or she makes reference to the term independence, its meaning can be interpreted in two different ways. The most common interpretation is the meaning of freedom. Although, the way that I experienced independence came from a growing passion in the sport cross country. I began running cross country for St. Rose of Lima School in sixth grade. In the beginning …show more content…

Recently, I came off an achilles tendonitis injury. I began running again this week in practice and in races. Unfortunately, I am now having hip flexor issues. It is extremely difficult because I want to go to practice and I want to be able to improve in races. Time off due to an injury interrupts the entire running schedule. However, I cannot allow these negative thoughts to affect me mentally. Thinking negative thoughts will, without a doubt, negatively affect the mindset I go in with on race day as well as my performance. As my coach says, “PMA- Positive mental attitude, that’s what it’s all about!” As an athlete, I have to be independent enough to have the motivation to go through the necessary treatment so that I will be able to return strong, healthy, and confident. Running, for the most part, is an independent sport. Yes, you do stretch and run as a team. Although, only you can determine how much effort you put in. You control your pace. You control your distance. During a race, you alone determine how well you perform. You score a certain amount of points as an individual; those points are then added to the team score. The goal is to score the least amount of points which you will then add to your overall team score. In the end, your personal goals are what matter: to beat your own time and earn yourself a personal record