Send to Friend

by Won Kim

After it's all said and done, Michael Phelps could leave these 2008 Olympics as the greatest Olympian that ever lived. He already holds claim to the most gold medals won by any Olympian, and the goal of winning 8 gold medals in one Olympics is becoming more and more attainable.

As I was watching him skim through the water like a dolphin hybrid the other day, I whispered to myself, This guy is the very best at what he does. Then as I often do, I became introspective (my wife calls it self-absorbed) and wondered if I'm great at anything in my life to the extent that Michael Phelps is with swimming. The quick answer: no I'm not. The rebuttal to that answer: well, who the heck is.

It's not like silver is a terrible medal to wear around your neck, nor is bronze. However, there are moments when I feel like my medal isn't even a real metal, it's more like a large piece of woodchip fashioned to look like some glorious medallion. In other words, I don't feel like I'm standing on the winning podium for anything.

For one, I'm not gold medaling for my writing anytime soon. Actually, there's an equivalent to that in my industry, and it's called the Pulitzer Prize. Truth be told, I don't think they're giving Pulitzer prizes away for bloggers in the near future. People tell me that I'm a really good softball player, but last time I checked, no MVP trophies are being given away to standout softball players in my local co-ed league.

Still, akin to those Olympic events such as handball, air-pistol and my personal favorite, equestrian dressage, I do have other skills that are more obscure. Bear with me as I present to you a few events that would garner me some gold medals, which I like to think makes me the Michael Phelps of fatherhood.

• Throwing: This is an event where I see how high I can throw my son into the air. My son calls this "flying," I call it exercise and my wife calls it irresponsible. Bob Costas just informed me that I hold the current world record.
• Wrestling: A familiar event to many dads, this event requires a fine balance of knowing when to defer to your kid and allow him/her to win. The gold medal is dependent on the amount of laughs you induce.
• Waffling: There's a degree of difficulty added to this event for its early starting time, especially when I've yet to drink my coffee. But nearly every other morning, I'm responsible for making some tasty waffles for my kid. It has to be crispy enough to hold the light spread of butter, yet soft enough for a 3-year-old's sensibilities. I'm proud to say, this is one of my stronger events.
• Timetabling: Not to be mistaken with table tennis, this event is a consistent back-and-forth struggle to balance work and family life. Whether it means I have to go into work early so I can leave on time to have dinner or the necessity to rush from one train to another, the overarching goal of this event is to always have quality time with my family. One of the more challenging events, it's one I've decided to train even harder for. Just a few days ago, I set a personal best.
• Disciplining: This event is like the 400-Meter Individual Medley of swimming. It calls for heightened awareness, stamina, an ability to hold one's breath for extended periods of time and great focus. No other event tests your ability than this one, and like swimming, everyone seems to be watching your every move. I've changed my technique a few times, but have come to the realization that the gold medal can't be had unless this event is approached with a large amount of love. A quick note, wearing tight LZR Racer swimsuits doesn't make it easier.

Obviously, I had my tongue firmly planted in my cheek for this post, but as you enjoy watching Phelps make history (as well as questioning the age of those Chinese gymnasts), best of luck in your attempt win the gold medal in the most important of events... fatherhood.

(photo credit: Reuters)