Right before a fencing bout starts, everything goes silent. I’m terrified—but I stay.
I lose most of the time. It used to crush me. But I’ve learned that not quitting is its own kind of win.
Fencing is the only sport I’ve stuck with. I keep showing up. I focus on the one point I scored, the half-second faster reaction, the flash of courage.
A coach once said, “Some people climb fast. Some climb far.” I think I’m climbing far.
Maybe I’ll get that rating. Maybe I won’t. But I’ll still be here—sweating, learning, and loving it. Even when I lose.
