I spoke earlier about my experience as a swimmer; I’ve been thinking about that more since posting. As threads often go, I found myself remembering just how much time I spent at the pool growing up; it was a ton even before I joined the local swim club, and then it increased accordingly due to the demands of practice. There were multiple points in my (short) swimming career when I would report to the pool before seven, spend an hour or so working through the sadistic list from coach, then go on my merry way until returning around three for the second workout of the day. As grueling as practice was, I always looked forward to going.
Other things in my teen life ultimately drew me away from the pool, to my lasting regret; I had no idea that all of those hours spent absorbing chlorine might have netted me a scholarship somewhere — though I am clear eyed enough to know I was never good enough for any of the top tier programs. Still, the chance to compete on a higher stage would have been satisfying, if for no other reason than to have experienced it.