My friends and I are in an on-again/off-again writing club where the rules are simple. Every two weeks you have to submit three short stories that it took you 20 minutes or less to write. These are the results.

Athletics and Life

You are pushed to limits everyday for years and then someone shows you a desk.  I was no NFL or NBA player, but like them  I pursued a passion, a sport that someday had to end.  It surreal to care so much about a sport and do it all the while knowing that your body will no longer go any harder faster or stronger, your body will get injured or you will peak, you hope you peak comes first.  In recent study they found bronze medalists to lead far more fulfilling, happier lives than silver medalists.  The reason:  silver medalists focused on losing the gold and bronze medalists were happy just to be standing on the podium.

 It got me thinking, is every area of my life going to play out like my athletic career? Take relationships for example, every relationship has its peak, usually it is the first year, then the rest of relationship you try to build endurance from the foundation that you established in year one.  Then you get bored and your training lags, so add something new into the mix, a kid.  Then ultimately you retire from your relationship and you and your partner becomes coaches.  You think back to the glory days of when you were fit, adventurous and carry out your remaining days together, but most of the time a new player gets added to you team, a trade perhaps which tries to get you to feel like you are back on the A squad.