Olympic-like talents

Who could resist tying in writing to the Olympics?  Not me - obviously.  I figured while I wait for art forms such as writing,photography, and scrapbooking, to be highlighted at the Olympic games, I would at least remind the rest of us, that although we may not have a double, half-pike, back-handspring, triple McTwisty in our repertoire or strut around with a negative BMI index, we too have amazing talents that we can share with the world.

Creating even nurturing stories, characters, emotions, relationships, it's not easy - it's a talent, and although most reading this blog are relatively unknown, it doesn't mean things won't change.  One day we will stand on our own podium wearing a medal, looking out into the eyes of those that have cheered us on all along.  Whether a persons' goal is to the be the world's best gymnast or a New York Times Best Selling author, the goal is the same.  The roads, although they twist and turn at different places, are the same uphill battle.

Take for example the dream of being the worlds' best gymnast.  When I was a little girl, I wanted more than anything to be a gymnast.  I wanted to feel the bars in my grip as I flew around them, I wanted to run across the floor in a stream of back-handsprings's, and I wanted to hear the roar of the crowd clap along to the rhythm of my routine.  Obviously that didn't work out for me, but a dream is a dream.  For the girls in London this year, they have spent countless hours in the gym training, working out, and crafting their talent.

The National Lottery, which supports many Olympians, recently did some research in which they concluded the following:
The average athlete:

Consumes more than 1.1 million calories per year, equivalent to eating three Christmas dinners a day
Commits six hours a day, six days a week to training and competitions
Has been working towards their Olympic or Paralympic goal for 11 years
Seriously took up their sport at the age of 14 and now competes in seven international competitions per year


As writers, we don't consume as many calories (at least I hope not!) nor do most of start at the age 14, although I am sure there are some.  But there are a few things we have in common with the above-mentioned Olympians - things like dedication, drive, and desire.  Like Olympians, if we are to succeed, we have to spend countless hours reading, writing, and editing our works; we have to endure hundreds of rejection letters and times of doubt and then, when we have perfected our talents to the like of the Olympians, then we will see our dreams come true.