Saturday

Well, what a Saturday! Early in the day, my goal was to get to St. Albert by bus. Unfortunately, unbeknownst (I love that word, but have never written until now!) to me prior to my departing the house, the St. Albert transit system was not running. So, after much sitting in the cold, but meeting nice people, I trekked back home, called Joce, who picked me up for an afternoon of shopping, football, then dinner and a movie. The shopping was fun -- I had forgotten it was Brenda's birthday, so picked up a card for her.

Then it was time for football. I get a total kick out of watching people I know play the game. Joce's son Cory was playing for UofS against Winnipeg. He's had some struggles with his knees, and early in the season, it looked grim for a full, rewarding season. But seemingly against the odds, Cory has had a healthy season and we watched him score a 72-yard touchdown on television yesterday. That, my friends, was a very rewarding time, and is about the only thing worthwhile I've seen on television in a while.

Joce's other son, Jean-Marc, was in Vancouver playing a Championship game for the Edmonton Wildcats (junior league). Once in a while, Joce's husband Bob (who was there watching the game) or brother Charles (who was here listening to the game) would call with the news from that game, but Joce was too nervous to hear it. So, I would talk to Charles, and I really thought we were going to pull that one off, too. We lost by one point in the final seconds of the game. The headlines call it heartbreak. I call it victory. This team has been struggling for a number of years......I've watched them. They would start seasons well, but fizzle out, usually amidst a load of penalties. This year, they turned a corner, and made it to the championships. And Jean-Marc made an interception in the last 4 minutes of the game -- a key play. I wish I could have seen the game.

Both Jean-Marc and Cory are winners to me. They've both had obstacles to overcome and they've overcome them. With grace.

We all face challenges -- but the challenges are very different for us all. Even as brothers or sisters. My sister Jackie was a nationally ranked tennis player. She won alot of trophies / tournaments, at least relative to the rest of us. But there is some pressure when you are in the public eye, even to that little extent. People always ask and want to know what you did with your tennis, or want to know that you are a success -- alot of judging takes place, you know? So, as a winner, alot of times, you are expected to keep winning, winning, winning, in anything and everything you do, or at least it seems like those are the expectations. The struggle for Jackie may sometimes be the struggle against performing based on others' expectations.

On the flip side, I'd always seem to almost make it. I'd win gold medals at the district level, but when it came to regionals, I'd take the silver. In college, I nearly made the team, but did not follow up -- just assumed I hadn't made it. Internally, what this means for me is that I feel unworthy, like somehow I will never take the gold in anything worthwhile. The real struggle for me is against performing up to and based on past experience.

The funny thing is, I can remember watching the Olympics as a kid - our whole family watched with a passion as athletes from around the world would come together and compete. And I tell you, I would look at the gold, silver and bronze medalists receive their medals, and I always thought what an honor it would be to be any of those recipients. Bronze to me meant #3 in the whole world -- wow!

I've noticed alot of thinking out there today that would have us believe that winning, and in particular, winning the gold is everything. The truth of the matter is, when you compete or run a race with your whole heart, you win. Period. End of discussion.

I read a story the other day about a race in the Special Olympics. There were 16 competitors I believe, and as they started running, one of the competitors fell on the track and yelled out. The other 15 competitors stopped, turned around, went and picked up the 16th competitor and then they all completed the race together, crossing the finish line at the same time, to the cheers of spectators in the stands. Who do you think the winner was in this race? If you can pick just one gold medalist, you are more able than me!

It sure does make me stop and consider what race I am running, and what I perceive as winning the race.