Making a splash

So much has been said about Michael Phelps that I really won’t add to it. All you need to know is the man has become the greatest swimmer and most decorated Olympian of all time with a bunch of world records under his Speedos. And that he’s just 23 years old.

Like most everyone else, I rooted for the guy. And now that he’s succeeded, I wonder what it’s like to conquer the world and achieve your wildest dreams at just 23 years old. His maturity is stunning; his talent a potent combination of natural-born ability and unswerving dedication and perseverance. If I, the spectator, watch history being written in jawdropping disbelief and admiration, what does the view look like from the top of the world where Michael currently stands?

I believe everyone has something they’re born to do – an innate ability and passion that, if discovered and nurtured, can lead to great things in that chosen field. Michael Phelps found his. Not for the first time, I wonder if I’ve found mine.

Some people say our 20s are the years of self-discovery, where we sort of figure out what we’re about and what we want to do for the rest of our lives. Never has this rung so true for me than in the past six months or so. I have been giving ‘me’ a lot of thought, and while my early 20s were about making decisions with more gut instinct and less thought, I’m now ready to start consciously mapping my decisions and maybe start planning paths into the future. All while still listening to my instincts, of course; I’ve become a believer in them.

Years from now, when people talk about Michael Phelps and his historic Beijing Olympics outing, I will remind baby Reuben that he watched Michael receive his eighth gold medal, and that his mummy had pointed Michael out to him on television.