Maya’s Minute: Volume 4
Written: October 15, 2026
A Note from Amanda
Maya has this incredible gift for taking a “minor” childhood meltdown and turning it into a major life lesson. Today, she’s showing us how a rainy Saturday on the soccer field is actually the perfect setting for a letter about resilience. It’s about teaching our kids that the way they handle a loss today is the blueprint for how they’ll handle the world tomorrow.
The “Soccer Sideline” Perspective: For Your Hardest Day
By: Maya Hayes
I’m writing this while sitting on my folding chair, watching my son’s team get absolutely crushed. He’s currently red-faced and blinking back tears because he missed the winning shot. My heart is breaking for him right now, but I’m actually pulling out my Starter Kit stationery to write a letter for his 30-year-old self.
The “Time-Bridge” Letter:
Open When: You feel like you’ve failed at something big.
“Right now, you are eight years old, and you just lost the championship game. You think the world is over. But from where I’m sitting, I see a kid who didn’t quit until the final whistle. I see a kid who shook the other team’s hands even though he was hurting.
I’m writing this because one day, you’re going to lose a job or a deal, and you’re going to feel this same heavy feeling. I want you to remember the boy on the soccer field. You were a leader then, and you’re a leader now. Success isn’t the score; it’s the ‘not quitting.’ I’m proud of you today, and I’ll be proud of you then. Now, let’s go get ice cream.”
Disclaimer: Across the Years, With Love uses representative personas, like Maya Hayes, to provide examples and inspiration for your own legacy writing. While her advice is based on timeless wisdom, she is a character created to help you find your own voice.