I think the most interesting pattern I am seeing in this Olympics, is that people who were told they couldn't, said they could, and then they did. People who had disadvantages were able to turn them into advantages, or at least perceived advantages.
Kieran Behan is the first gymnast from Ireland to qualify on his own merit for an Olympics, and he got to London against all odds. He was told twice in his life that he would never walk again, and twice he worked and made his way back to the gym. Then he had to do car washes and bake sales to get funding to make it to qualifying events, and to the Olympics. He and his family did it, and I watched him compete. He didn't win gold, but he won something more, what we all want, a chance to do his best on the highest stage.
US diver Chris Colwell was born with 60% hearing loss. From every interview I have heard from him, he doesn't seem to consider that a disadvantage even though he can't hear the buzzer or announcer saying to start his dive. He can focus better without noisy distractions and has ways of knowing when to dive. That is adaptability. Every one of us was born with some sort of "disadvantage" or "disability" but every one of us has the potential to turn that into an advantage.
Speaking of "advantages", Who hasn't heard of Oscar Pistorius? Have you been living under a rock? The runner that had both his legs amputated and runs on sort of springs or blades has caused a great stir this year as people try to determine if his medal legs give him an advantage or not. I think the biggest question that would answer this for me is, in a sport known for doping- where people do things to cause great harm to their bodies so they can win a race, if its such an advantage why aren't people chopping off their legs and getting these blades instead so they can win? because its not an advantage, its Oscar. If its an unfair advantage why is he the only one with such blades to make it and compete in the Olympics, and not just Para Olympics? Oscar is amazing and inspired me. He made a goal- not gold, but to make a semi final. He did that, and then he lost, and then now gold medalist James Kirani changed bibs with him. If that doesn't say respect, what does.
Speaking of James Kirani, He is from Grenada. Grenada has, until yesterday, never won an Olympic medal. that can be a disadvantage too, in funding, in people making it harder for you to get there because they don't believe you will make it. Myliutyte surprised everyone in swimming, she is only 15 and no one expected Lithuania to win a gold in swimming because they've never done it before. But both of them did it, they got the Gold. that is inspiring. Cool Runnings has always been one of my favorite movies because "they did something no one thought they could do, and they did it with (everyone ) laughing in their face" as John Candy's character says in the movie. Real life was not exactly like the movie, but I am sure the difficulty in getting people to believe in a Jamaican bobsled team wasn't too far off accurate.
Natalia Partyka of Poland was born without her right hand and forearm , this year she is competing in table tennis in both the Olympics and Para Olympics. I don't know if you have watched Olympic table tennis, but they hit the ball faster than I can see to follow it.
One of the US female runners yesterday talked about coming back to the sport after having twins and then having depression. She came back, she won her heats, and she was amazing to watch. I could go on and on. The truth is that we love these back stories they tell us at the Olympics because they are inspiring. These athletes really are no different from the rest of us, they have lives, they have challenges, great challenges, but they work hard and over come them. If we want, we can do the same. It all reminds me of a poem by Berton Braley :
" Success"
Kieran Behan is the first gymnast from Ireland to qualify on his own merit for an Olympics, and he got to London against all odds. He was told twice in his life that he would never walk again, and twice he worked and made his way back to the gym. Then he had to do car washes and bake sales to get funding to make it to qualifying events, and to the Olympics. He and his family did it, and I watched him compete. He didn't win gold, but he won something more, what we all want, a chance to do his best on the highest stage.
US diver Chris Colwell was born with 60% hearing loss. From every interview I have heard from him, he doesn't seem to consider that a disadvantage even though he can't hear the buzzer or announcer saying to start his dive. He can focus better without noisy distractions and has ways of knowing when to dive. That is adaptability. Every one of us was born with some sort of "disadvantage" or "disability" but every one of us has the potential to turn that into an advantage.
Speaking of "advantages", Who hasn't heard of Oscar Pistorius? Have you been living under a rock? The runner that had both his legs amputated and runs on sort of springs or blades has caused a great stir this year as people try to determine if his medal legs give him an advantage or not. I think the biggest question that would answer this for me is, in a sport known for doping- where people do things to cause great harm to their bodies so they can win a race, if its such an advantage why aren't people chopping off their legs and getting these blades instead so they can win? because its not an advantage, its Oscar. If its an unfair advantage why is he the only one with such blades to make it and compete in the Olympics, and not just Para Olympics? Oscar is amazing and inspired me. He made a goal- not gold, but to make a semi final. He did that, and then he lost, and then now gold medalist James Kirani changed bibs with him. If that doesn't say respect, what does.
Speaking of James Kirani, He is from Grenada. Grenada has, until yesterday, never won an Olympic medal. that can be a disadvantage too, in funding, in people making it harder for you to get there because they don't believe you will make it. Myliutyte surprised everyone in swimming, she is only 15 and no one expected Lithuania to win a gold in swimming because they've never done it before. But both of them did it, they got the Gold. that is inspiring. Cool Runnings has always been one of my favorite movies because "they did something no one thought they could do, and they did it with (everyone ) laughing in their face" as John Candy's character says in the movie. Real life was not exactly like the movie, but I am sure the difficulty in getting people to believe in a Jamaican bobsled team wasn't too far off accurate.
Natalia Partyka of Poland was born without her right hand and forearm , this year she is competing in table tennis in both the Olympics and Para Olympics. I don't know if you have watched Olympic table tennis, but they hit the ball faster than I can see to follow it.
One of the US female runners yesterday talked about coming back to the sport after having twins and then having depression. She came back, she won her heats, and she was amazing to watch. I could go on and on. The truth is that we love these back stories they tell us at the Olympics because they are inspiring. These athletes really are no different from the rest of us, they have lives, they have challenges, great challenges, but they work hard and over come them. If we want, we can do the same. It all reminds me of a poem by Berton Braley :
" Success"
If you want a thing bad enough
To go out and fight for it,
Work day and night for it,
Give up your time and your peace and your sleep for it
If only desire of it
Makes you quite mad enough
Never to tire of it,
Makes you hold all other things tawdry and cheap for it
If life seems all empty and useless without it
And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,
If gladly you'll sweat for it,
Fret for it,
Plan for it,
Lose all your terror of God or man for it,
If you'll simply go after that thing that you want.
With all your capacity,
Strength and sagacity,
Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,
If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,
Nor sickness nor pain
Of body or brain
Can turn you away from the thing that you want,
If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it,
You'll get it!
AMEN!!!! I think our biggest disability in life is not knowing what we want to go get. Figure it out, and go get it, and don't believe anyone who says you can't. People like to say that, they say it all the time. Yet, records fall every Olympics even when people say it cant be done. Roger Bannister ran a mile in under four minutes, no one thought that was possible, I could go on forever. Don't doubt, just work and believe. good luck.
I agree. I love this post. Thank-you.
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