Today I received a message from a friend at the YMCA, where I used to go swimming before my Xinjiang trip in September. Her message reminded me of the people there and unexpectedly brought back a familiar rhythm of my life from not long ago. I missed the time spent at YMCA.
Swimming has always been a good and safe form of exercise for me—gentle on my back, helpful for my posture. More than that, it gave me a small social circle. I could chat with people, exchange smiles, and feel connected. Still, after some thought, I’ve decided to take a break from it for now.
The most obvious reason is time. It takes nearly two hours each day to drive to the YMCA, swim, shower, chat sometimes and return home. At this stage of life, I’m becoming more aware of how limited time feels. Reading, writing, housework, piano practice, strength training—each one seems small on its own, yet together they already fill my days. Something had to go.
Another reason is that I now need more challenging exercise to improve my VO₂ max. Swimming keeps me healthy, but it no longer pushes me in the way I need physically.
I’ve also been swimming regularly for over two years. It has served me well, and I’m grateful for what it has given me. But I’m beginning to feel that at this stage of life, I should remain flexible enough to choose a different path when needed, instead of doing the same thing day in and day out simply out of habit. Perseverance is important, but so is the courage to make a change.
And perhaps most importantly, I’m trying to live a more diverse life, one that includes not just physical fitness but also mental growth and new directions. Diversity always comes at the cost of time, choosing one over the other.
As for the social part I’ll be missing, I believe it can take a different form. I’m thinking of adding some volunteer tutoring to my life. Human connection doesn’t belong to just one place. If I truly want it, there is always another way to find it.
I came to realize that growing older is not only about doing less—it’s about choosing more carefully. Time becomes more precious with age, and so do the choices we make with it. Sometimes, even a good habit must step aside to make room for something that feels more necessary. Or simply try another daily routine when needed.