The other day, Z caught me watching videos of Simone Biles.
What an incredible athlete!
We talked a little about what it would be like to do that, to move like that – those high, compact flips. What would it feel like? What does she see?
Then I wondered if we were too tall. For a moment, I wished I were shorter, so I could know what it’s like to flip like a gymnast.
Isn’t that the best thing about sports? That it doesn’t matter what kind of body you have, you can find something that you love? Something that you’re good at. Even if you don’t want to compete at an Olympic level, either because you lack the will, dedication, or financial backing – you can still find something you love that makes you feel good, or that will make you appreciate different parts of your body. If you’re tall, play basketball. If you’re little, hop on a trampoline. Etc.
My friend is pregnant. At her ultrasound, she learned that her baby has unusually long arms, which made her laugh. There was the baby, swimming around so much it was hard to get a quality scan, with its noticeably large clavicle and reach.
Apparently, her husband was the same – when his mother asked the technician if he thought it was a girl, the technician laughed and said: “if it’s a girl, she’s built like a linebacker.”
My friend and I agreed: girl or boy, she’s going to have to get that baby into the pool, so it can start swimming for Canada.
