Courageous to Famous

I am going to tell you a story of how having the courage to embrace change led to a funny coincidence that made me feel accepted and valued.

My dad recently transitioned from active-duty military to reserves and got a new job in Utah. That meant my family had to move from our base in Florida to my mom’s parents in Missouri while he settled into his new job. During our time there, I attended a new school. Once again, I was the new kid, but it turned into a good time making new friends. However, I knew the time would come when I would have to say goodbye. That was hard. One day, the principal asked some friends and me if we would like to participate in a video recording of how to play Gaga ball that would be shown to the school. I had to demonstrate what not to do during the game. It was fun, but I never did see the video.

Anyways, the time came to say goodbye and join my dad in Utah. It was the scariest thing moving to a new school in the middle of the year. I felt sad and overwhelmed, hoping it would be the last time I’d have to do that. It takes a lot of courage to walk into a new classroom as the “new kid”. A few weeks into my new school, I began making some friends and learning the new routines, but still felt like the new kid who didn’t belong.

Recently, the P.E. teacher at my new school in Utah decided to teach the school kids a new game they hadn’t heard of… Gaga ball! Something I was already familiar with and loved to play. One day, another student came up to me and said, “Mason, you’re famous!” I asked what they meant, and they said they saw me in a video playing gaga ball at P.E. class. More and more students began recognizing me around school, and then, finally, it was my turn to go to P.E. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Of all the videos on YouTube of how to play Gaga ball, the P.E. teacher chose the video I was in without knowing it! What a coincidence, I thought! That day, my feeling of not belonging went away as I was able to show the other students in P.E. how good I could play Gaga ball. Instead of being known as the new kid, I became the Gaga ball professional!

This story shows me how God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, we must do things that feel very uncomfortable. Because my dad has been in the military for twelve years, I have had to move many times and have gone to many different schools (including internationally). Having courage never gets easier, but when things like Gaga ball fame happen, I know that it was the courage I gained from all my past experiences that led me to where I am today.