The middle

Did anyone else have that day when they realized that it was too late to be a child prodigy? I think mine came around the time of Tara Lapinski. I was in grade 8 I think and I realized that unless I shaped up soon, I’d never be that 16 year old in the Olympics. And well, I didn’t shape up and I didn’t make it to the Olympics but I’m not to upset by that. I’m more upset with the children who write books or go and save starving children in Africa before they’re even old enough to drive a car. Frankly, I don’t think they should be getting ANY of the credit for their actions as clearly, a 10 year old was not able to get his work published entire on his own and his very pushy mother probably had a lot to do with it. I’m getting to the point now when I’m realizing that if I’m going to peak at all, its going to be about the same time everyone else does…somewhere between 35 and 55. this is the time that I think I will be most likely to be featured on CBC or the globe and mail. Not that this is my desire, because I really don’t want to be famous. I just want to be good at what I do. I’m really not entirely sure what that is yet, but if I am going to be good at it, chances are that between 35 and 55 is when I’ll be at the top of my game. Its too late to go the Olympics, its too late to be the five year old on opera who can play the piano as well as Beethoven its even too late to be a brilliant student whose marks make people’s jaws drop. If I’d wanted that I’d have had to work way harder way earlier on. Frankly, I’m stuck here in mediocrity. I’m not horribly upset by it, they say its lonely at the top. There are lots of wallowing around down here enjoying the view. I’m glad I don’t have to get up at 5 in the AM to train, or that my mother hadn’t made me practice the piano for more than half an hour as a child. I’m glad that I have something called free time (not that much of it these days, but I do have some). I’m pleased to not be on top. That’s an awful lot of pressure… At this age anyway. But just you wait, somewhere between 35 and 55 it’ll be my time to shine…just you wait.