My Life... My Passion...

Some of our biggest dreams and passions are not the ones we've been dreaming for our whole lives but the ones that find a way somehow to get into our lives. Rhythmic gymnastics found me, probably not at the best age but that didn't stop me from trying it out. At first it was just my sport but eventually it became the most important thing in my life and what I enjoyed doing the most. The gym became my second home, my favorite place to be and my trainer became my biggest role model. By this time, the sport had swallowed me completely, without giving a heads up. It took away my social life, which my parents were too concerned about, and I didn't care at all. I couldn't be happier to be doing this sport, this art, every day of my life. Some gymnasts hate the training but love to stand up on that podium with a sparkly leotard, others just like the training part without having to present themselves before that huge group of judges. What happens when you can't get enough of any of them? The trainings soon became longer and the pressure stronger. The physical work we did everyday kept increasing, the time we spent in oversplits was longer and the routines became more difficult. The competitions lasted more than only a few hours and the medals were not as many anymore. Most people wouldn't understand how after all of this, one would keep on going. But most people don't have the chance to let this sport eat them up. Knowing that one more day of training, one more minute in oversplits, one more set of jumps or one more routine practice may not bring you the gold but the pure satisfaction of doing your best, always striving for more and wanting to go further. Not caring what hour it is at the gym or how much time is left before you can go home is probably the best feeling ever. Knowing deep inside your heart that you don't want to be anywhere else and the best news you could get is that you have extra trainings on weekends. Then at competitions, since you start doing your hair and make up you're doing so as a winner, as a champion that has gone all the way and the time has come. The time to show the world what you can do, the time to prove yourself that that extra training, that extra minute in oversplits and that extra set of jumps was unquestionably worth it. You are standing in the corner, waiting for the gymnast before you to come out. They announce your name and you take a deep breath, strengthen all the muscles in your body, put a smile on your face, and walk onto that podium. You get yourself in your starting position, the one which you have practiced for so long, and you wait for the music to start while you feel that drop of sweat on the back of your head. Once it does there's no turning back so you start your routine. You do that double turn which took two months to nail, then comes the throw which you have practiced more than 300 times, without counting all of the ones you dropped, then comes that jump in which you have to focus on while your apparatus is way up high in the air. The routine is coming to an end, the minute and a half is almost over but you have to keep focused. That last little element comes and you finish just in time with the music. You hear the crowd cheering for you while you take a deep breath full of satisfaction. You realize you just did a perfect routine and you truly gave your all. You stand up tall and proud as you walk away from that podium and you go meet your trainer. She's smiling and proud. She knows that all our hard work has proved itself on that carpet and you go back inside to the training area to meet your friends, which are also your biggest competition. This goes on for the rest of the apparatuses and maybe not all of them turn out that great but you know you did your best. The competition is over and you're getting back into the team sweats. You put everything away and go outside with your whole team. Your mom is there, with a tear in the corner of her eye, and you rush to give her a hug. She whispers in your ear how proud she is and that's when you truly realize that it's over. You enjoyed it so much that you can't believe it could be your last. The only thing you want in this moment is to get back to the gym and keep on working harder and harder. You can't quit. As much as your parents would like you to give your social life more importance, you can't leave gymnastics. You can't keep doing it with less compromise and less pressure. It's all or nothing but you choose to stay. Most people think you're too old for the sport and you're not good enough for it. All of that doesn't matter if you can keep going after your dream. Even if this dream is only to keep going, you don't  really know for how long, you just keep going. 

Author's Note

I don't usually write, I guess I think I'm not good at it but every once in a while I get some inspiration. Every review is welcome, I'd love to improve my writing and obviously make it more frequently. Thanks