Frustrated by the spiralling expenses of life (and the sport), I made the utterly painful decision to sell my Biathlon rifle. In the summer of 2015, I sent my beloved Anschütz on a plane up to Prince George, never to see it again. It was a crushing experience but little did I know at the time that far worse lay in store for me.
I hadn't realized how much apart of my life Biathlon had become. Suddenly every little reminder of this sport caused me pain, because I was no longer apart of it. Hearing about my friends' exploits at races drove me crazy with envy. The coming of winter no longer brought the same joy. Yes I still skied, but skiing past the Biathlon range without partaking in the sport gave me a stomach ache. I felt like a ghost confined to wander the edges of a life that was once mine.
The list of painful reminders goes on and on - finding empty casings in my flat, struggling to watch races, and no longer being as involved in the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club. What had I done?
I became resentful of a life that forced me to be separated from my love, and many things ceased to hold the same joy. Two years later in 2017, there was a turning point.
My finances became settled and it was time to right the wrong I had done two years earlier. I didn't hesitate in dropping over $5000 to get exactly the rifle I wanted - an Anschütz with black and white Bear stock imported from Slovakia. Game on. It was like I had lived with an aching emptiness for the past two years and now there would be justice.
How fitting that on 14 February, 2017, I received a notice from Canada Post that I had a parcel. First a trip to the post office, and then off to procure a bottle of wine. This was going to be the best Valentine's Day ever!!!!
I knew I loved Biathlon, but perhaps it took this separation to realize what an important role the sport plays in my life. Unboxing my rifle and taking in a mouthful of red wine, I was overcome by an overwhelming sense of relief.
That was two years ago and a lot has happened in two years. Stay tuned for some excited posts!
