JANUARY–MARCH 2024 HEARTBEAT® 19 Caleb Schendel YOUTH, GRADES 9-12 TEXAS Heartbeat I can feel it again. Heavy breathing, sudden worry, a heavy heartbeat, an uncontrollable rhythm. I was just sitting there, yet it feels as if I just crossed the finish line of a long marathon. But there is no finish line to this, I have to wait it out. I shouldn’t have to constantly worry about my heart at such a young age. Yet, when it comes to arrhythmias, all I can do is put my life on pause. Though my heart will beat for the wrong reasons, it thrives for the import- ant things in life. When I feel the sensa- tion of getting closer to opening a show, it’s a feeling like no other. When the cur- tain opens with my character in the play, ready to live their life to the fullest, after working on a show for months, and now, finally, able to display my character to the world, my heart beats with excitement! Theater has its drama on and off stage. Something the audience will never see. Being a part of an extraordinary high school company requires cooperation with each other, but life can bring its chal- lenges. It has taught me how to manage such situations. Though my heart doesn’t physically help me all the time, morally, my heart knows the solutions to fix these interferences. We learn how to understand where we went wrong, we fix our mistakes and make sure we are happy with the people we work with. So when it comes time to open the curtains for a perfor- mance, our hearts are beating with joy. It’s not just on stage where my heart beats with enthusiasm. As I open myself to my community, I learn life skills that will help me be the person I want to be, with the heart I want to have. My heart gets most excited for the Halloween season. Halloween has always brought a thrill to my life, and I want to share the feeling that comes with Halloween. There was a house in our neighborhood that had the most decorations I’ve ever seen. While it was scary to walk up to the gloomy front door, I saw how much fun it was for others who came here. Eventually, they moved away and sold their collection of decorations, but I wanted to carry on their legacy. It took lots of planning, people and money, but over the years, I built my own collection with support of my family and friends. We achieved the title of “The Hal- loween House” in our neighborhood and every year put out my decorations, know- ing the frightful fun the kids will have when they pass by our home. It’s become a tradition, and my heart is all for it. I’ve come to accept that my heart is different and that every now and then I’ll struggle with my health. But rather than back down from an uncontrollable event, I go all out, letting each heartbeat serve a purpose; it’s a healthier way of living. Photo courtesy of Candida Schendel I’ve come to accept that my heart is different and that every now and then I’ll struggle with my health. Caleb Schendel
