In High School, we have many opportunities to try new things that interest us. There are a wide variety of sports, electives, and clubs that can suit anyone’s interests. However, sometimes other outside forces prohibit us from being able to try new things. Ashley Thribe (9), faces opposition to her interests by a list of immune and other health issues. Despite all her trials, Ashley still finds a way to have a positive outlook on life.

This year when wanting to try out for track, Ashley was faced with a tough decision. During the time when she was doing both track and dance every day she was working herself more than her body allowed her. Her disappointment was evident when she knew she couldn’t do both. Because of her love of dance, she decided to stick with it and drop track. In Ashley’s words,” I had to decide what means the most to me and how capable I am at excelling at each thing”. Though giving up on something is tough, it is more important that you don’t overwork yourself to an unhealthy limit. Ashley keeps herself positive with the confidence that things take time to get good at and there will always be other opportunities in your life, even if one doesn’t work out now. “Even though I wasn’t able to do track, it will allow me to get better at what I really enjoy and allows me to focus on other things” Explains Ashley.

Ashley’s story is an excellent reminder to all of us that your own personal health is always more important than your interests. Your body’s physical and mental well-being should always be the top priority.