What goes through my mind....

My thoughts begin with my son and wife. I woke up today thinking about the past though. Not a revolutionary thing for me, but I was amazed how vivid I saw remember things. Today is Saturday. It's the middle of February. If it was 15 years ago, I would probably be getting ready to compete for the county title in wrestling. I know that might not sound like much, but to a 15 year old it was a dream. I had been there before and was posed to do it again years after. But, today I recalled the preparation of that match let alone the day. Having mental focus is vital to wrestling. 'Controlled anger' as my father would put it so many times that it was drilled into my head. Fierce, energetic, and raw emotion contributed to this anger. However, cool and calm enough so that your thoughts don't get jumbled. Usually, I would be away from the gym. I would find 'my spot' and always retreat there until just before. My spot could be anything and anywhere depending on the surroundings. Either way, it was almost always far from people. Most of the time, I had my headphones that pumped various tunes into my ears distracting my anxiety and calculating thoughts. There always seemed to be one person who would find me. I would remain focused, but hear them out. Their banter would displace me and keep me cool. Another must have on these excursions was my jump rope. Jumping rope sounds a bit childish, but my speed ropes from my boxing days always keep my heart rate up and my body loose.