I fell in love with you at the age of three. From the moment that I first set foot on the field to the day my final whistle is blown, you have and will always be there for me. I knew that whenever I needed you, you would be there. You have given me so much and I can only hope to repay you one day.

You were my first love. My first passion. You taught me so much about myself and about life that I will never forget. Lessons like being knocked down again and again, and still having the strength to get back up. Lessons like the brevity of life and how a chance must be taken. I was born in a city, but I grew up on your field.

Failure is something that is inevitable. It's how you bounce back from that failure that matters. If I would have given up every time something bad had happened either on or off that field, my life would be in pieces. Every post that was hit, every save that was missed, every call that was blown, all eventually led to the glory that came after.

You taught me that practice will never be perfect. In life and in the game, there is always room for improvement. There is always a way to get better and always a time to make it happen. There will never come a time where you have said "good enough."

You became my release. You gave me a way to rid myself of every problem that arrived. You provided a way to spend time with people that would become my family. My brothers and sisters. My coaches and parents. You took one person and gave them a world of supporters. With you, there were no races, no people of color. No religions, no times of war. It was just you. You brought us all together. It's no wonder you're called "The Beautiful Game."

There are 90 minutes in a game. If you took your life and lived it as one year a minute, how would you spend your time? Would you wait till the very end, scrambling to finish? Or would you throw everything in your twenties and thirties so that the future was taken care of? But then the other team scores. All of the sudden, your plans have been tossed to the side and you're forced to reevaluate. How will you spend your time now? Will you give up? Or will you continue to live and fight until that last whistle blows?

There will be a time when the game ends. When the boots are hung up for good. But I know I'll be ready. I'll be ready to pass on my love to the next generation. While I may change and leave you, you will always be there. You will forever be our teacher and our first true love.

Thank you, soccer. For everything.