Personal Narrative: The Punta Cana

I smiled gently as my feet sunk into the warm sands of the Punta Cana coast. During a short snorkeling expedition on the magnificent coral reefs, I was abruptly awoken by a loud series of bangs. Who was outside the door this time of night? As the banging got louder, my anger quickly morphed into terror. My mind began racing with the infinite possibilities awaiting me outside the safety of my bedroom. But wait, what if my parents were in trouble? In an attempt to save them from a burglar or a fire, I sprinted to the front door. To my surprise, there was no such danger: only my parents, a mysterious woman, and two policemen. After a brief encounter, my father and the woman were escorted out with a few of his belongings that he threw into a makeshift

After years of practice, I progressed in the sport and joined my high school team. Initially, running track was a way of escaping the stress from my parents’ divorce. It taught me to endure more pain than I could have ever imagined. With each grueling stride, my mind would fight my aching body to quit. However, I would always find a way to stay determined and keep pushing forward. Though the physical pain of running had never vanished, the sport eventually became more than a way of dealing with my past scars. When the coach resigned, I wanted and needed to keep the club afloat. Scheduling the meets, running the team practices, and motivating my fellow peers, I became responsible for the success or failure of the club. My ambition was to create and foster an environment in which my peers could also benefit from the discipline of track. As I took on this role, I realized it wasn’t so easy. In addition to being the leader of the club, I was also a role model. The youngest on the team looked up to me most. With my new outlook as captain, I was intent on guiding my teammates to success. The joy they felt after placing in a race was only surpassed by my pride for them. As their faces lit up with each win, I saw a reflection of myself in them: individuals pushing one stride at a time to achieve their