One Step

One thing that I have learned in my life is that it takes one step at a time and dedication to get anywhere in life. I probably learned this best from swimming. When I first started swimming competitively, all I could think about was how hard it was. I, however, loved it and wanted to keep doing it. I continued to go to practice and I became better very quickly. I soon moved up to the advanced group, but this was even harder than before. I started to not like swimming as much, but it was because of the practices. I loved competing, the pool, and my friends. I soon started to not show up some practices and when I was at practice, I would make excuses and not work hard. Eventually my lacking of working hard started to show. I stop progressing and I started to slow down. I talked with my coach and she gave me a hard lesson. She told me that it was my fault and that I needed to just do the simple things like coming to practice and working hard everyday to continue to progress. I started to do this and I started to progress again. I rededicated myself and started taking small steps that took my on to bigger and better things. After all of my hard work, I became a state, far western, zones, and sectionals champion.

This lesson could also never be more true in my life right now. Quite frankly, my life seems to suck to some people because I have Crohn's Disease and I am attracted to men. Most days I am in extreme pain and have severe nausea and diarrhea. Then I am sometimes really horny and wanting a relationship and action with guys. It seems like a battle that I cannot win. Some people have asked me why I just do not give up. The answer is that it all comes from the lesson I learned of dedication and one step at a time. I take one day at a time and try to my hardest to make it the best day that I can. I could just sit around, do nothing, and mope about my crappy life, but I choose to continue to be active, go to school, work, and hang out with friends. If I let these thing bog me down, then my life will truly suck and I will hate life and probably God.

My advice for everyone is just to take life one step at a time. Sure there may be days where life is really hard, but there is always tomorrow and the hope for a better day. Do not give up on life. It will eventually get better despite everything that you might be going through right now. These past couple of weeks, I have gone through hell and back and it looks like after this morning I am heading for hell again, but I am not going to give up. I am just going to take one step at a time and try to live my life to the best of my ability. I hope that you will do the same.