Dear Athletic Ball

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Prompt: To what piece of technology would you write a "love letter"?


Dear Athletic Ball

Dear Athletic Ball,

You take many forms: basketball, volleyball, soccerball, and so much more. So many variations create so many great memories. I remember dribbling a basketball, spiking a volleyball, and blocking a soccer ball.

I have the most connection with the basketball. I have known this side of you for over two years, pouring my life into you. I would spend hours dribbling, shooting, or working on footwork with you. I will never forget the times I was frustrated with life and would go outside and shoot for hours with an audiobook in the background. I miss those times. 

The past year have been more distant. I only watch you on TV, and what amazing things you can do. Sometimes I will pick you up, but it is only for a short while. I do not think we will ever have what we had in the past.

I hope that in the future we connect some more. We will never have what we had, but hopefully we can be like the old college friend. Meeting everyonce in awhile, and talking over hundreds of miles.

I have just learned about your soccer side. I was formally introduced to you during my trip to Peru. So many people down there have a great relationship with you, and it is hard to stay away from you.

You brought people of different races, cultures, and languages together. Through you, I met a kid named Daniel. I do not speak his language, but through you, our friendship has flourished.

Because of you, I am looking forward to my next trip to Peru. Our relationship is interesting in a way, as I have never been with you in a competition. Because of that, I have gained more than I can recite here. I just hope that I can bring you to America one day.

The last side of you I have connected with is the Volleyball. I have only seen you in spurts: Sunday night church, PE, or even in Peru, but we have never had an extended time together. I hope this will change this summer. I plan on connecting through with my local small group through you. I hope to bring my friend Deven to these occasions. You probably already know, but he wants to get to know you; he just does not know how.

During college I hope to join intramural. I hope to meet you there on a regular basis. During this time you will be a thing to look forward to every week, or more. You will force me to go outside when I might otherwise not. You are my plan to save me from myself.

There are so many other sides that I do not know well; the baseball, football, spikeball, and possibly more that I do not know of. You are so diverse, but no matter what you bring people together: sometimes under a common goal to win, to connect, or just have fun. When I get older I suspect we will go farther apart. I do not with for this, it is just how life works. I will still watch you on TV, or even help other people connect with you, but I myself cannot be with you.

I thank you for what you have done for me. You have given me friends, given me an outlet for my energy, and most of all, you are just plain fun. One day I hope I can somehow give back to you. Possibly as a coach of one of your many sports, maybe I take a job as an NBA scout, or just playing with you is enough. Maybe all you want is for people to be happy and connected. I do not know what you want back, but I know I will somehow pay you back.


Call soon,

Tucker Gergen


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For reader: 


Are there any points in the essay where the love letter mystique fails

Are there any points in the essay where the tone might go to far and it is hard to understand

Help on better intro

Comments

  1. Robert GaoMay 7, 2025 at 1:11 PM

    Tucker Gergen,

    I am frankly, so so ecstatic that you were born onto this world. Through sentences such as "I hope that in the future we connect some more", the athletic ball is personified into a moveable, cradleable character. The balls you describe become friends, holdable, loveable. It is a wonderful work that perfectly explicates your love for athletics and the like.

    To expand on this narrative, I would suggest more of this abstract wordage - it's fleeting, transient, not present enough. When it's there, it's a wonderful read. When it's not, I find myself craving it, wanting to read it, to join you in your introspection.

    Great work, Tucker.
    Robert

    ReplyDelete
  2. MichaelMay 8, 2025 at 11:20 AM

    Hello Tucker. I enjoyed hearing about your connections with different sport balls. I already knew about your love of basketball, but it was interesting to hear about your experiences with other sports. I would say the love letter style is very consistent across the whole essay. It is perfectly fine to go down a few self-reflection tangents. (After all, that's what these essays are all about). They only strengthen the emotional connection you have with these sports. The tone seems pretty understandable. You make it pretty clear that you're addressing the sports balls at the beginning of the essay, and everything flows pretty smoothly afterwards. Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bruce TangMay 8, 2025 at 12:42 PM

    Hi Tucker,

    I enjoyed reading your response to this blog prompt. I found it interesting that you chose to write about an athletic ball rather than a ball related to a specific sport. I think your letter also does a great job personifying what athletics and athletic balls means to you. I would love to hear more about how you want your relationship with athletic balls to evolve in the future, as well as elaborating more on the significance of sports in your life. Overall, I thought this was a very personal and thoughtful response, and I do think the love letter mystique fits very well in this case. Great work!

    ReplyDelete

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