My Competition

I'm not one you would consider a competitor.

I don't enter contests I can't win. I don't pick fights. When I must, I choose my battles carefully. I'm not a good loser. My passion is to win! Therefore, for the most part, I choose not to compete.

However, there is one person in my life with whom I find myself in constant competition. This person is a very formidable foe. This competitor plays a shrewd game and does not always play fairly.

The game is ongoing and informal. Therefore, there are no ground rules. No rules of etiquette. No time-outs.

With a full bags of dirty tricks, she pulls them out at the most inopportune times. She knows my weak spots and plays to them at every juncture. She plays mind games with me. She talks trash. Just one discouraging word from the sidelines and she makes sure I hear it and she repeats it over and over--just in case I might forget. The slightest stumble and she is there to point it out.

Ah! But I am learning her tricks. I am learning to sidestep her daunting remarks.

Every competitor needs fans. I have mine. I hear my fans from the sidelines...Think positive thoughts. Don't even think those negative thoughts. You're winning. Keep running! So what if you stumbled? You're still on your feet.

I think she will always be there to remind me, to goad me on. In fact, as long as I stay ahead of her, she keeps me stronger. We're becoming pretty good friends, my competitor and I. I'm even learning to like her. She's eased up on me a bit, but keeps me humble, nonetheless.

My strongest competitor is..ME!

Mother of the Year