creating a moment
In this short project, we were tasked to write about a significant moment in our lives. I decided to zoom in on a goal I scored in soccer. I played with slowing down and speeding up in time during this project. Enjoy!
My Moment
People say that time slows in certain moments, but for me, moments pass quickly then stay put. I scored a wonderful goal in last weekend's soccer game and it passed just as quickly as other moments, but it has stayed in my mind ever since. Layers of blue blankets envelop my body. I stare at my ceiling and the plaster walls transform into the harsh lights and patchy grass of the overused football field.
I am still finding detail after detail from the moment I struck the ball. Two hulking defenders grunt in unison to either side of me, waiting for a poor touch so they can smash into my slight frame. The smell of grass and my sweat steams up from the damp pitch. My mouth feels dirty and sweet from the tangy drink I had before the game.
The ball bounces as I take my last big stride before connecting. Our bench holds its collective breath while a few disinterested junior varsity players babble about the school day.
The blades of grass caress the studs in the heel of my left foot as my right studs strain upward in the windup. The ball centers in my concentrated gaze and aligns itself in the air as my foot comes whipping in...
Straight and true. The ball wraps around my laces and lashes toward goal. Gravity and wind strain to pull the ball off course, but it has one target in mind. The goalkeeper's sly grin turns into a horrified grimace as he dives right. A faint rustle is the only perceivable sound when the net softly embraces the incoming volley.
The celebration was short. I jumped and screamed and hugged my teammates, but these are not the scenes that remain with me. Every day and every night, that frozen scene returns. At the time, I only saw the ball and the goal, but every time I return I find a new detail.
I wrap myself in more blankets, fidgeting. How can I fall asleep while such a wonderful moment sticks to my mind, exploring itself in vivid detail? This happens every time I score a great goal, when I feel the earth, the ball, and my body dance in perfect unison. It's like a song stuck in my head; the only way to get rid of it is to score an even better one.
People say that time slows in certain moments, but for me, moments pass quickly then stay put. I scored a wonderful goal in last weekend's soccer game and it passed just as quickly as other moments, but it has stayed in my mind ever since. Layers of blue blankets envelop my body. I stare at my ceiling and the plaster walls transform into the harsh lights and patchy grass of the overused football field.
I am still finding detail after detail from the moment I struck the ball. Two hulking defenders grunt in unison to either side of me, waiting for a poor touch so they can smash into my slight frame. The smell of grass and my sweat steams up from the damp pitch. My mouth feels dirty and sweet from the tangy drink I had before the game.
The ball bounces as I take my last big stride before connecting. Our bench holds its collective breath while a few disinterested junior varsity players babble about the school day.
The blades of grass caress the studs in the heel of my left foot as my right studs strain upward in the windup. The ball centers in my concentrated gaze and aligns itself in the air as my foot comes whipping in...
Straight and true. The ball wraps around my laces and lashes toward goal. Gravity and wind strain to pull the ball off course, but it has one target in mind. The goalkeeper's sly grin turns into a horrified grimace as he dives right. A faint rustle is the only perceivable sound when the net softly embraces the incoming volley.
The celebration was short. I jumped and screamed and hugged my teammates, but these are not the scenes that remain with me. Every day and every night, that frozen scene returns. At the time, I only saw the ball and the goal, but every time I return I find a new detail.
I wrap myself in more blankets, fidgeting. How can I fall asleep while such a wonderful moment sticks to my mind, exploring itself in vivid detail? This happens every time I score a great goal, when I feel the earth, the ball, and my body dance in perfect unison. It's like a song stuck in my head; the only way to get rid of it is to score an even better one.