Throwback Thursday: (Random facts about Patty) Jan. 20, 1981. The day I realized how great being a part of a team was. I was a sophomore in college and on the swim team. 🏊♀️🏊♀️I knew what being on a team meant to me, but I didn’t see how I was really helping the team.
_I was never the 🏊♀️ who brought in the firsts, but I loved swimming and I loved being a part of a team. It gave me instant friends at my commuter college.
_I lived at home. My dad was given 2 months to live in March, 1980, but he was a fighter. I literally challenged beginning, intermediate, and advanced swimming (passed day one of classes) so I could only take 2 classes on T/Th and take care of my dad on M/W/F. (I needed to be a full-time student to be eligible to swim.)
_Jan. 19, 1981 he took his last breath. I needed to decide if I was going to swim in the meet on Jan. 20th. My sisters had flown in to help my mom, so I decided to go to the meet. My coach had me entered in the mile (1650 yards) and the 100 butterfly.
_ I was pretty quiet that day and actually thankful for the mile as I prayed during the swim to quiet my mind. There were only 3 swimmers in each of my events. I placed 3rd in both pulling in 2 points for the team.
_We won the meet by 1 point! That year we had our best record ever for Women’s swimming. Had I not swam, we would have lost by one point. I think it just showed me that I didn’t have to be the best swimmer out there to be a part of the team. I just had to do my part.
_I think of that meet often when life seems difficult for me or when I question my purpose. I/you are making a difference. Keep on being you. You do not know how many lives you are touching. I Cor 12:18. #youareimportant, #theresonlyoneyou, #teamplayer, #throwbackthursday, #csuh, #reclaimingpatty, #rheumatoidarthritiswarrior, #slowandsteadywinstherace, #pioneers, #swimmer, #80shair
