I never guessed how important athletics would become in my life.
Growing up, I was more of a creative girl, a trait that has not diminished with age.
Many hours were wiled away reading and writing - journal entries, short stories and poetry. I also loved making things, whether that was cooking, baking, needlework or crafts, I could always be found engaged in some creative pursuit or another.
My passion, which I discovered early on, was music and I embraced every opportunity to learn. I studied classical music until I was in my 30s and performed in many different venues.
My creative side is one I am well acquainted with, so it is odd how much sport now dominates my time.
You may ask how this non-sporty, girly thrower developed an interest in sports.
The answer: I have two children passionate about competitive swimming.
Donít misunderstand me, I did have an interest in athletics, especially team sports. I participated in several of them including basketball, soccer, baseball and sprinting.
As a farm girl, I was relatively active, and not completely incapable of playing. I was never the star of the team, but I always gave my all to any team I was on.
I did play enough to understand the feeling of competitiveness: the thriIl of a win and the bitterness of defeat.
But I will readily admit, none of those feelings were developed to the extreme. In that way, I am different from my kids.
My daughter, 15, lives and breathes swimming. Tableside discussions usually revolve around that afternoonís practice or a new technique she is working on.
Indeed, there is little talk of friends in our home, unless they are her pals from the pool. She has also developed the rare attribute (at least for teenagers) of tucking herself into bed before 10 p.m. - even on the weekends - to get enough sleep to make it to early morning practice at 5:30 a.m.
Choices of food and activities are totally dependent on where she is in her training and when it comes to whose advice she considers wisest, I have been replaced by her coach.
My son is 11 and he is equally as passionate.
He has honed his math skills by figuring out - to the 100th of a second - how much time he has to take off of his 200-metre backstroke to beat the club record, which he did at the Age Group Provincial Championships in early March in Calgary.
Along with his dad, he has a vast knowledge of his teammatesí provincial ranking and is always striving to meet the next goal.
Although talented in other areas, both of my children have chosen to place their focus on racing, something I find myself becoming increasingly proud of.
Sure, dragging myself out of a warm, comfortable bed at the crack of dawn to drive to the pool is not easy, but I find myself doing just that.
Weekends are often spent sweltering at the poolside, waiting impatiently for my kids to make their plunge into the water. Some of those races last less than 30 seconds and the wait can be hours.
Financially, the toll has been high, with my kidsí passion costing me more per month than my mortgage. Who knew a swimming suit could cost $300 and that a 12-year-old would be encouraged to swim at out-of-province meets?
I wouldnít be honest if I said I never complain about the high cost, the time commitment, the boring conversation.
Be that as it may, the feeling of pride and genuine pleasure I feel when my kids meet their personal goals is one I canít describe.
It makes all the sacrifices worth it.
