The dream of playing baseball at the collegiate level motivates me every day. I get up every morning knowing this senior year of high school is all that stands between me and my life long dream. Every day of going to class, doing my homework, practicing ball and working out is one day closer to my dream. I have been accepted at Nichols College and will be playing baseball while there. I was accepted because I have a 3.9 GPA. I will be playing ball there because the coach believes I have potential. That my parents, grand parents, aunts and uncles believe in me and support my dream 100% keeps me going. Family who tutored me long distance in the subjects with which I struggled motivate me. Good grades are important to every member of my family. They want me to succeed. They want me to have the grades I need to be to the university of my choice. These people continue to motivate me each and every day. The fact that my parents are willing to make sacrifices for me to attend a private university when I only received a partial scholarship, that motivates me every day. I have a lot of people to thank for helping me realize my dream. The best way I can think of to thank them is to stay motivated to see it through.

Patience is defined as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. I not very good at being patient, but, I am working on it. Why is being patient important to me? It takes a lot of energy to be impatient. I have a 3.912 GPA. It takes a lot of energy to pay attention in class, study in the evenings and do homework. It takes a lot of energy to work out every day. It takes a lot of energy to play baseball. I don't have energy to spare for impatience. Impatience causes stress. I am a high school senior. I have been accepted to the college of my choice because my grades are very good. I have been chosen to play baseball for that same college. It is a private college. It takes a lot of money to attend a private college, even with a partial scholarship. That is plenty of stress for one person. I don't need the stress that comes with impatience. Lack of patience takes time away from my day. I go to school, play baseball, work out, do homework, do home chores and sleep a few hours. There is no time in my day to waste on impatience. So, I will work harder to eliminate impatience from my life.

I think the best way to live a long, healthy life is to live a well balanced life. A well balanced life includes eating healthy, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, resting when you are tired and taking time to do the things that make you happy. The best way to live a long, healthy life is not to smoke or drink drink alcohol to excess. Being angry also has negative effects on your life. Do not hold grudges. Impatience, as well as arguing, wastes energy. All these activities are stressors that can shorten your life. Consequently, managing these stressors can add years to your life. Spend quality time with your family and friends. Strong social relationships, it turns out, can help you live a longer life. Surround yourself with people you love and admire. Fill your social time creating happy memories with people you like spending time with. Prioritize your happiness to maintain your mental health. You have to choose to be happy each day. Each day, think about the things that you are grateful for, and the things that make you smile. Look forward to each new day. Look forward to living a long, healthy life.

I practice self-care by working out every day. I am a baseball player. My body must be in the best condition I can attain. Working out improves my muscle strength and boosts my endurance, while also boosting my energy. It gives me more energy to tackle daily chores. I have a 3.912 GPA. It takes a lot of energy to keep my grades up. I can't be too tired in the evenings to study and complete homework assignments or even to stay awake during class. I have to eat healthy, nutritional meals to have the energy to work out and to sustain that energy until bedtime. Working out regularly can help prevent unneeded weight gain and burn calories. It can also help improve cognitive function. One of the most important attributes of working out, for me, is it helps protect me from injury. The stronger the muscle, the more resistant it is to injury. Daily workouts helps me connect with my teammates. Working out together is fun and we have the opportunity to challenge each other. It also helps us unwind and enjoy each other's company. It requires a lot of self discipline to workout daily. It is not always what I want to do. But, it never fails to make me feel better. A good workout improves my mood and makes me happy. Having my body in good condition ensures me a good life.

My dream life looks like the man who is living life in his dream career. What does my dream career look like? My passion is baseball. The dream career would be a position working as a Talent Scout for an MLB team. What a life! I would travel across this country visiting colleges, watching the best of the best play the game I love. My days would be spent looking for those few kids who love the game of baseball so much they have spent their young lives training, practicing and playing the game. These kids would know that I am out there, in the bleachers, giving them the chance to show me what they can do. A few of these kids would get the opportunity to tell me about their dreams, to impress me with their life skills, moral values, love of family and loyalty to their school. I can see what they accomplish on the field. I want to know what they can give back to the community that supports my MLB team. At the end of the day, I want to be the one who can make dreams come true for the special few who can play MLB ball. Those few who will be in a position to influence the young guys coming up behind them. That is what my dream life looks like.

My dad played baseball growing up and he led me to having a passion for baseball. Mom and Dad divorced when I was 3. I moved to Oklahoma with my mom. Dad remained in Massachusetts. Playing baseball was an awesome way to stay connected with my Dad. He has a love for the game, the same as I. He played in college until a shoulder injury ended his collegiate playing. Dad began rolling the baseball to me as soon as I could sit up. He says we would watch the Red Sox play before I could even roll over. My mom says it is in my blood to love the sport. My stepdad started me in T-ball when I was 4 years old. Next, coach pitch and finally full on youth baseball. I could not wait for practice and tournaments. I had inherited the love of baseball gene. As soon as I got home from each practice or game I would call my dad. We would talk for hours about how to improve my batting and fielding. We celebrated each success and talked through the errors. I played on little league teams, travel teams, and show case teams. Dad would fly in several times each summer or fall to accompany me to a tournament. It was pure heaven knowing my dad was on the sidelines. I was so happy when 7th grade came around and I could play school ball. Finally, a coach and team where I would always belong. I continued through all those years calling my dad after each game, and after most practices. We were working together for that Varsity spot. At the end of the summer league in Oklahoma I would fly to Massachusetts and play Mickey Mantle or American Legion ball with my dad as the assistant coach. The past summer (2021) was the best of my life. I did not play summer ball in Oklahoma. I went directly to Massachusetts to play American Legion ball and Southern New England showcase ball. I needed to get in front of New England college coaches. I was determined to earn a spot on a college team where my dad could spend 4 years on the sidelines watching me play. I played 60 games in 9 weeks. God blessed me tremendously with 2 outstanding offers from colleges less than an hour's drive from my dad. I verbally committed to Nichols College to play third base. Finally, I will play the game I love for the man who instilled in me the love of the game. God is good.