Swimming

            
             The sun sleeps as the desolate city streets await the morning rush hour. I enter the building along with ten other swimmers, inching my way toward the cold, dark change room of the Warra Park Pool. Then it's back to the pool again. The afternoon training schedule features an additional 5 laps. My coach has spent hours in an attempt to help me defeat time. I should put in my share of work. .
             I was here because of my parents, fearing injury, directed my athletic interests away from rugby and into the pool. I guess that was good for me. .
             There was a time, three weeks into my new swimming endeavor, I somehow persuaded my coach to let me enter the annual age group competition. I did not do all that well. To be honest, it went down the drain. I knew success does not come without effort. With my friends, time is increasingly spent in the pursuit of the next swimming objective. .
             It was hard work. Sometimes I come to school with aches all over me. Although it did dampen my spirits from time to time, I never backed away. I was training regularly, weekdays after school with friends. .
             It was about 1 year into my training; I entered another competition. This time, I fared much better. I actually got into the quarterfinals. This is a little sweet success for my swimming, after all that work I have put in. but I still have a long way to go. .
             I have learned that, as in swimming, life's successes often come in small increments. The difference between success and failure is defined by the ability to overcome strong internal resistance. .