It’s no secret I can be a long-winded person. It’s a blessing and a curse in this day and age. I have made it my mission in life to make sure I never say “it all went by so fast” or “where did the time go.” I am sure I will fail eventually and cave to that phrase, but I will try to take in every moment. It is important to reflect on experiences good and bad. It is what builds character and develops our future. It’s a building block.

One of the main purposes of writing Welcome to Mintland was making sure the kids appreciated this time in their lives. In between practices, school, tumble classes, school projects, parties, and travel. Most of the time they do not get an opportunity to smell the roses. In the era of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat etc.. kids (and adults) are now trained to appreciate moments in the split second they take a look at that picture or meme on their favorite social media account. After that quick instance of gratification, it is off to the next piece of context or photo. There is no time for reflection or appreciation of a job well done. There are some stories that are worth more that the 7/8 of a second we dedicate to viewing our journey.

At the end of the season, one of the observations I made was  that I did not get the sense the team understood what they accomplished. I was literally scared to death that they would take the moment and their journey for granted while chasing the next skill or accomplishing more great things at school or at cheer. I think subliminally, that was why I felt compelled to write this story.

All Star Cheerleading moves at the speed of Social Media. It is how the entire community communicates. I am as guilty as anybody.  It is efficient and necessary for a worldwide audience to stay connected as closely as we all do. We all must realize there are some stories that deserve more than just a tweet or a snap. This community deserves more than that. I hope more take the time to realize this time in your life will be amazing and not everything in your life should be broken down into 8 counts. Sometimes you need to back up and observe from the judges table and smile down on the performance in front of you, take it all in and build from it.

I would love to hear about your special moments. Feel free to share.

Eric