February 14, 2002
n
the midst of this discussion about Olympic athletes, I want to take a
moment to talk about some other athletes that make me just as proud. You
see, last summer when I visited my sister, her son showed me the award
he'd received that year for his riding skills. He rides with a group of
special kids in a competitive horsemanship series. This award happened
to be a belt buckle, in true Texas style, about the size of my head. Just
truly impressive.
This year, the competition was in Houston... last weekend. My father joined my sister's family in visiting the area, and it was set to be yet another triumph for my nephew. Unfortunately, the trailer in which their horses were travelling caught on fire, and while the horses weren't hurt, they were so spooked as to be unrideable. But, my nephew got on an unfamiliar horse, and gave it his all to compete. That, my friends, is true athletic spirit. To say I'm proud of Allan seems to be an understatement. He's a true hero to me. That kind of competitive spirit is what I respect. The ability to get up, after you've fallen, and complete the race, even knowing that your chances are slim... true greatness. In my mind, the medal / reward is not the ultimate goal, it is the strength of will to compete. Whether or not those Canadians get a gold medal matters not. The people who fall, and get up and try again are the folks we should be admiring. These are the true winners of any sport.
A very happy Valentine's Day to all of you.