53 years ago, I competed in the season finale of the Divisional Championship Meet for the Mohican Hills Swimming Pool in Bethesda, Maryland. It was a pivotal moment in my life, teaching me valuable lessons about humility and the pursuit of excellence. I was 10 years old, and the experience was a stark contrast to the victories I had achieved in other sports like football, basketball, and baseball. In those games, I often finished first, but swimming was different. It was a humbling experience that taught me more about life than any other sport.
The meet was held on August 8th, 1973, and I remember it fondly. It was a sunny, warm day with a classic August vibe. I had won two third-place medals and was proudly holding them up for a photo, my smile genuine and happy. But the real lesson came from the fact that I had placed third in the 50-meter freestyle and 25-meter backstroke, competing against 12 others in the nine and ten age group. It was a reminder that I wasn't the best at everything, and that was okay.
Swimming practice was a challenging experience. It felt like body torture, and I often wished to get out of the pool. The coach would blow his whistle, urging us to swim more laps, faster than the last one. It wasn't pleasurable to learn that I wasn't the best at everything, and it wasn't fun to be told that I wasn't the best swimmer on the team. But it was a necessary lesson, one that taught me about the importance of hard work and perseverance.
Later in life, I learned that I wasn't the best at pretty much anything I did. I wasn't the best student, employee, or writer. But that's okay, because it taught me the value of striving to be better. Swimming humbled me and showed me that there's always room for improvement. It prepared me to endure other challenges in life, and I'm grateful for that.
Today, I feel a sense of appreciation for the swimming experience. It taught me that becoming number one isn't always the goal, and that the pursuit of excellence is more important. It showed me that I can win by striving to be better, even if I don't finish first. And that's a lesson I carry with me every day, as I continue to pursue my passions and strive for greatness.
