In a lot of ways my life is like the sport of rowing.

The shore is like my past. Once I have gotten in that boat and launched off for my race, there is no looking back. No regrets, no disappointment, I have to just keep rowing.

The water is comparable to the problems I face in life. Some days, the water will be smooth, hardly any waves at all, while other days I’ll be put against the task of getting past waves that could potentially flip my boat.

The boat is like my perspective. I can only do in the boat what I have learned; similarly, I can only base my opinions on the experiences I’ve had. Though my boat will sometimes be unbalanced, I’ll make the best of the situation I’ve been placed in and learn from it.

The oars can be related to my will and drive to succeed. Though there are times the oars will rip my hands open, leaving them in so much pain that I feel I cannot go on, I know my hands will heal, and I’ll have become more conditioned because of it. I know the harder I pull on the oar, and the greater endurance I build from doing so, the more likely I’ll obtain the outcome I was working towards.

My teammates, in almost a literal way, can be related to my family and friends. Sometimes the race will get hard. My body will ache, my throat will be sore, and I will feel like quitting. However, I know that I have eight other people in the boat counting on me, and not only will quitting be letting myself down but those girls too.

The coxswain is much like my morals and values. When rowing, I cannot see the racecourse, so I must rely on the coxswain to guide me. Although there will be time she won’t know what’s around a corner she must use her best judgment to get the boat to the end.

The finish line is most similar to my goals and dreams. Although my goal during a race is to be the first to cross the finish line my goals in life are much more than that. I realize that I have a long ways to go before I reach my “finish line” and I understand myself to know that I won’t settle for okay or even good. When one goal is finished I create another one to work towards.

Overall, the most important lesson I’ve learned through rowing about life is that life is what I make it. I can choose to angry and wallow in self-pity or I learn from my mistakes.

I will always work towards being the best person I can with the hand that I’m dealt and to constantly take the opportunities I’m offered to learn and grow.

I am a rower.