A Most Beautiful Thing

by Arshay Cooper

But when you no longer can row with your legs, you must row with your heart.

These were not my addictions, but my mother’s, and bitterness was stamped on the tablet of my heart.

I know she thinks she’s being strong by holding on to him, but, as my aunt says, “You are stronger if you can let go.”

I will never understand why the ones we like don’t like us back, or why we’re never interested in the ones who actually do like us.

I am starting to realize that if you don’t take the time to get to know a person first, you will only waste time, and it may lead to an unplanned baby, a divorce, or a painful breakup.

Many are called, but few are chosen. I believe you are chosen.”

I’m on a mission: to love my team more, love my family more, and love myself more.

They represent the other side of the river from Manley. The side we’re rowing to get across to. And we will.

But when you no longer can row with your legs, you must row with your heart.

There is something disturbing about thinking that they’re being so accommodating just by letting us in.

It’s like a bank account: You have nothing to withdraw if you don’t make a deposit. A lot of times teachers and parents just want to withdraw from us. They want to know our problems, secrets, and the things that are going on in our lives. They wonder why we never tell them anything, and the reason is because they’ve never made any deposits.

I am not the most talented or smartest person on the team or at school, but the practice of a strong work ethic and self-control is helping me to stand out.

With Ken and the team hanging out a lot, we notice things that white people can do that black people can’t get away with.

If white people speak out against other white people about racism, that helps this country. I am noticing this happening in the media. What I have not seen yet is cops marching against other police officers that mistreat blacks. When that happens, I believe then we are moving toward change.

When a coach leaves, you start to think right away it is your fault or did he get fired. Like, why make an impact on someone’s life and bounce?

My mother always says people perish without vision. I think that applies to our team, too. I’m a true believer that if you have a bow and arrow and aim for nothing, you will hit nothing every time. We need a clear target, a clear goal.

There is no more quit in me. I have felt pain all my life; it’s my normal.

I know I get ahead of myself sometimes, so I decide to live my life the way I race on the boat and the erg. It’s all about drive and recovery.

When you work extra hard through high school and earn every grade, it’s easier to resist the nonsense of the streets.

Rowing makes you forget that the world is on fire.”

For some people, you have to keep an eye on them from the rearview mirror and keep moving forward.

What I can’t wrap my head around is how we glorify the underdog to the top and when they make it and continue to win, we get tired of seeing them there and hope to see them fall to the next underdog.

Teammates seldom have any clue about the effect it has on you when they quit a team, get suspended, or get injured. Everything becomes heavier.

My mom’s faith has saved us all.

Life used to be so bad for me that jumping off a bridge was a daydream.

The power of speaking the right words to a young person can do something magical.

I decide to force myself to sleep, because this is so confusing and love sucks.

If you pull a kid out of an afterschool program or kick them out, there is a risk of them doing all kinds of wrong.

On my block, you were respected for carrying a gun and criticized for carrying a book. I always hoped it would change because I didn’t want other kids to grow up like I did, never knowing what it’s like to feel safe.

He says that being bullied hurts way more than getting punched in the face. I second that one because being laughed at makes you want to drop out of school, hurt someone, or hurt yourself.

The same water that we used to fear has become our place of refuge. We don’t just live to row but row to live.

Being a teenager is all about fake friends, being broke, and a constant battle for popularity.

I think having a million dollars would be fantastic, and being on TV or the radio would be cool, but giving a kid your word and watching them change must do something on the inside that’s better than what those other things can do for you on the outside.

I’ve learned to count my blessings, and there are always more positives than negatives. I’ve learned how to strengthen myself.

no one gets out of the friend zone unless all other options are completely gone.

Some people say the heart does what it wants and you can’t control it. I think it’s what you feed the heart.

I don’t want people to look at us and see students, or rowers, or our skin color. I want them to see hope.

We went into this thinking we would change the sport of rowing like Jackie Robinson did baseball, but the sport of crew has changed us. We are becoming Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.

My mom tells me, “You fight for your kids, and you forgive them, and you pray. Then you wake up the next morning and you fight for them again, be an example, forgive them again and you pray.”

“The only thing worse than people talking about you is when no one is talking about you.”

I didn’t think we could get along with people who didn’t look like us but rowing changed that for me.

When you represent something larger than yourself and your career, real change happens.

I open my eyes and accept the moment and think to myself the affluent world of crew is about to get rocked.

I took my eyes off what was ahead of me to see what was behind me, and I am paying for it.

I can’t help but think a couple years ago some of us were basically the rejects and outcasts of our communities, but now we are considered the solution. We know who we are.

In crew you move ahead by looking in the opposite direction. I learned that it’s okay to look back, as long as you keep moving forward.