When I was twelve, I was scouted at one of my weekly swimming lessons.  A coach from the regional swim team spoke to my mother and told her that he saw potential.  I was a little shocked when my mother asked me if I was interested in trying out.  What?  Swim on a team?  Like competitively?  You see, I never considered myself a great swimmer.  Only a few years prior I had this debilitating fear of deep water, but despite that fear I eventually jumped in and gave it a shot.  Soon enough I was on the team and part of a swim club!  

In time, swimming essentially became my life. I was swimming eight times a week, morning and night, before school and after school, with competitive meets on the weekend.  My coach was strict and instilled in me an abundance of self-discipline.  Although it was never easy, I swam competitively for many years and almost made it to the national level!  

 

  Today, it remains an important part of who I am.  

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  I still swim a couple times a week and when I’m in the water, it’s as though I can feel my essence.  While I'm swimming, I feel strong, confident and free of judgment; perfectly centered and balanced.  I feel like no one else but ME.  

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  Who knows, maybe I was a mermaid in a previous life?  Hehehe.