Obstacles

Albert Schweitzer has said, “One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.” When you beat the obstacles you face, then you can win any battle that approaches you. When it’s a lifelong battle, however, the obstacles seem to never go away. Since I was little, I have had trouble with my vision. Being almost legally blind has made my life difficult, especially in sports and school. Forced to wear glasses since a young age, they severely crippled my participation in class and my social life. Even with the aided eyesight, it was still hard to see in class, and I was often forced to sit in the front row, away from my group of friends. Being unable to see as everyone else caused me to believe I wasn’t as good as everyone else, and my school work was deemed unsatisfactory. I refused to talk or answer questions in class, and that habit has stuck with me to this day. Although my eyesight will remain inadequate until it can be surgically fixed, I was able to overcome it in the last few years. I excel in honors and AP classes, earning A’s and B’s, and I have been able to maintain a steady social life. Because of contacts, I gained a new level of self-esteem that allowed me to become more open to people and less introverted. I’m no longer afraid to speak in class, although it’s still sometimes necessary to move myself to the front of the class to see well. At first, being almost legally blind was an enormous burden, and it takes wide shoulders to carry such an encumbrance. Recently, my eyesight hasn’t been too much of a hindrance, but its trouble always makes its appearance known when I play volleyball. Being a Libero/ Defensive Specialist, my job is to pass the balls directly to my setter or close enough where she can get them. This is one of the hardest jobs on the court, and it’s even more difficult because of my eyesight. It is nearly impossible for me to judge distances because I have little depth